27Nov2022

Project: Digging into Digital Work in Serbia: Who are crowdworkers from Serbia and why they work on global digital platforms?

Decent Work in the Digital Age

How does digitization change the sphere of work? How to respond to these changes and ensure decent work in the digital age? These are the main issues that were discussed during a one-day conference organized by the trade unions SSSS and Nezavisnost, within the regional initiative Danube @work. Although the Danube region consists of countries with different levels of development, the entire region has a common need - to establish fair and just living and working conditions for all. Digitization is changing all social and economic areas of life and has a major impact on work and employment. On the one hand, it provides innovative services and increased productivity, as well as more...

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05Dec2018

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04Nov2018

Social Networks as an Emergency Management Tool

Researcher Filip Stojanovic participated in a two-day international scientific conference on human security and new technologies. The conference was held on November 2-3, 2018, in the building of the Rectorate of the University of Belgrade. In co-operation with colleague Nevena Sekaric from the Institute for International Politics and Economy, he published a paper "Social networks as a tool for managing emergency situations in the context of human security". Filip also participated in the methodological workshop "Data as People: Information, Rights and the Future of Freedom", led by Nathaniel Raymond of the Jackson Institute, Yale University. The conference was...

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01Nov2018

Project: Future of Work, Future is Now!

Media about the Conference "The Future of Work - The Future is Now"

What can Serbia learn from countries that have gone through the transition? What kind of professions will be sought in the near future? And how can the existing education system and economy be prepared for the new economic trends? These are some of the questions which were answered during Radio Belgrade's Talasanje show, which hosted the co-founder and programme director of the Center, Branka Andjelkovic, and Jovan Protić, the national coordinator of the International Labour Organization, as they were announcing the beginning of the Center's first Annual Conference dedicated to the future of work, "The future of work - the future is now". Listen to what they had to say...

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30Sep2018

Project: Digging into Digital Work in Serbia: Who are crowdworkers from Serbia and why they work on global digital platforms?

Who are the Digital Workers from Serbia, What Kind of Jobs They Do and How Much They Earn?

In an interview with Tanjug, Jelena Sapic and Milica Skocajic, members of the Center, presented the preliminary results of the survey "The Gig Economy in Serbia: Who are the digital workers from Serbia and why do they work on global platforms?“. The interview was covered by the following portals: 021.rs, b92.net, blic.rs, n1info.com, and mondo.rs. (published September 30, 2018). The results show that most of the jobs on digital platforms are done by young people who want additional earnings, then those who do not have another job, or can get more money online than offline for the same work. Digital work includes various tasks - from IT to design, translation, programming,...

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26Sep2018

Project: Digging into Digital Work in Serbia: Who are crowdworkers from Serbia and why they work on global digital platforms?

The Center Presented a Research about the Digital Workers at a Publicly-Private Dialogue about Lump-sum Taxpayers

Within the “Month of the lump-sum taxpayers“ campaign, NALED and the Association for the Development of Entrepreneurship from Nis, in cooperation with the Republic Secretariat for Public Policy and with the support of USAID, organized three round tables in Belgrade (10.09), Nis (18.09) and Novi Sad (21.09), where the possibilities for improving the status of lump-sum taxpayers were discussed. In Belgrade, another roundtable was held only for representatives of the IT sector (25.09). At the meeting the following was highlighted as key defects in lump-sum taxation: the uncertainty in the process of approving the status of a lump-sum taxpayer, the imprecision of the criteria and...

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24Sep2018

Project: Digging into Digital Work in Serbia: Who are crowdworkers from Serbia and why they work on global digital platforms?

A digital Worker Earns Less Than $ 1,000 a Month

The earnings of digital workers seem unattainable to those employed in other spheres. But is the real gain that great and what are the disadvantages of this type of work? What characterizes the digital work and workers? Branka Andjelkovic, a programme director, spoke for Politika newspaper about these and other questions raised in the Center's research on digital workers' status in Serbia (published on September 24, 2018). Based on the data which Andjelkovic introduced to the readers, it is concluded that a typical digital worker from Serbia is on average 33 years old, as well as that almost a half of all digital workers live in Belgrade. Most are engaged in the field of...

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20Mar2018

Project: Citizens on Watch: Public Participation and Localization of the Security Sector Reform

Firearms Around Us – Large number of illegal weapons in citizens' possession

    "I was in a situation to hear that a parent supports their son to carry both cold weapon and firearms at school." "I think that in our community it is very common that a husband has a pistol and that a woman does not report domestic violence just because she knows that he has this gun and that he can use it."1 At the beginning of February 2018, a meeting of representatives of the Southeastern European governments was held in Podgorica, where the strengthening of control of small arms and light weapons (SALW) in the region was discussed. This security issue has come to the attention of the (European) public, since, according...

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07Mar2018

Project: Svetlana Djurdjevic Lukic Foundation

Young Women and Men are Exposed to Violence on the Internet Often Without Being Aware of It

Increasing use of the Internet creates an open and accessible space for communication which often leads to the expression of violence. Violence expressed through an electronic medium is called cyber violence. The specificity of this type of violence is its reach and the possibility of repeating threatening content. An important and recurrent part of cyber violence is an online distribution of sexual content without the consent of the person presented by that content. This type of violence is called revenge porn because a frequent motivation for publishing such content is revenge against a former romantic/sexual partner. The most common victims of this phenomenon are women. The consent of...

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21Feb2018

Project: Svetlana Djurdjevic Lukic Foundation

Security Meets Privacy – Is my face really mine?

It is believed that almost everybody has a picture of his/her face stored somewhere, whether it is a country or a private company database. Usually, this type of data is collected and stored without a consent of the person to whom they belong. Do technologies for face recognition value personal security or do they pose a threat, demanding of people to sacrifice their own right to privacy? Answers to this question can be found in the work of Jasmina Bajramovic, a Master’s student at the Faculty of Security Studies. It is published in a collection of students' essays "Contemporary Challenges, Problems, and Dilemmas Regarding Human Security". The...

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18Dec2017

Project: Advocating for successful integration of Roma migrants through better education/employment policies

The German government is offering rejected asylum seekers benefits in kind if they voluntarily return home.

The German government is offering rejected asylum seekers benefits in kind worth up to €1000 if they voluntarily return home.   The Federal Ministry of the Interior announced the new program called “Your Country, Your Future, Now!” which will run until February 28, on Saturday. Under it families who agree to leave will be entitled to up to €3000.   The funding complements the “Jump-Start Plus” return program, launched last February.   In an interview with the Bild am Sonntag Federal Interior Minister Thomas de Maizière (CDU) promoted the program appealing directly to beneficiaries.”If you decide by the end of February for...

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15Dec2017

Woman from Kragujevac First European Female Infantry Academy Graduate

Lieutenant of the Serbian Army Mirjana Novakovic has graduated from the US infantry training for young leaders at Fort Bening, in the US state of Georgia, the US embassy. According to the statement, she attended the training by taking part in the US International Military Education and Training Program, funded by the US government. “This twenty five year old from Kragujevac is the first female European to graduate from this school and the first woman officer of the Serbian Army to attend training through the IMET program. Lieutenant Novakovic was the best student of her generation in high economic school and graduated from the Military Academy with the average mark of 9.29. As...

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12Apr2017

Project: Firearms Misuse and its Impact on Gender-based Violence

SEESAC introduces Gender Coach Programme in Small Arms and Light Weapons Control work

Following successful pilot of Gender Coach Program implemented within the Gender Equality in the Military in the Western Balkans project, SEESAC initiates its Gender Coach Programme to strengthen capacities of leaders to integrate the gender perspective in SALW control policymaking. The Gender Coach Programme is part of the activities implemented under the EU Council Decision (CFSP) 2016/2356 in support of SEESAC’s disarmament and arms control activities in SEE, focusing on the regional cooperation, knowledge exchange and information-sharing, that will lead to enhanced capacities for evidence-based policymaking. The Coach program was...

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06Apr2017

Project: National HDR 2016: How to improve security of vulnerable municipalities in Serbia?

Local Communities' Responses on Natural Disasters: Columbia and Serbian experience

Heavy rainfall in Southwestern Columbia on Friday, March 31, caused flooding, landslides, and avalanches. Thirty percent of monthly rain fell just in one night. According to the most recent information, 286 pepole died (among them, there are 40 children) while hundreds are injured. Moreover, an earthquake registering a 4-degree magnitude on the Richter scale occurred only few days later. The earthquake caused additional damage and significantly decreased capapcities of local communities to effectively manage risks of natural disasters.  City of Mocoa has been affected the most by the natural disasters and has been proclaimed as disaster zone. There was...

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05Apr2017

To Fight Violent Extremism, Security Sector Must Include More Women

At a seminar on foreign terrorist fighters I attended in Venice in 2016, a senior government official stated without hesitation that “women give birth and life – it is unnatural for them to be involved in taking life.” The implied message was that women and girls who are involved in politically motivated violence are either manipulated victims or just mentally unstable. This common stereotyping acutely compromises the capacity of security bodies to prevent and counter violent extremism. Because of simplified and superficial conclusions, we risk missing opportunities to address the violent radicalization of women and girls. Women have been involved in the full spectrum...

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07Mar2017

Between survival and development: think tanks in the Western Balkans

Survival, perfectly describes the Western Balkans region these days. Namely, the last group of post-communist countries (Albania, Kosovo, Macedonia, Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia & Herzegovina) which are struggling to survive in the waiting room to joining the European Union’s “club of democracies”. The discourse about think tanks’ development and impact is inseparable from the debate on democracy and democratic societies. As part of the civil society, think tanks operate in a policy environment that has the public good as its ultimate beneficiary. The stronger the ties of think tanks/civil society and the public, the greater the guarantees of democracy....

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01Mar2017

Swiss army wants to recruit more women

“For me it would be desirable if we could significantly increase the proportion of women in the medium term,” said Corps Commander Daniel Baumgartner in an interview with Neue Zürcher Zeitung published on Wednesday.   “Women think and act differently. That would be good for the army,” he added.   While Baumgartner did not suggest that compulsory military service should be extended to women, he said a compulsory ‘information day’ should be introduced where women can find out about the opportunities the army could offer them.    “For me, it’s a question of equality,” he said.   Currently...

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24Feb2017

Project: Firearms Possession and Human (In)Security: Impact on youth and gender based violence

The Third Regional Conference on Human Security

The Third Regional Conference on Human Security entitled Human Security in Dire Times: The Balkans, Turkey, and the European Process starts today in Athens, Greece. The organizer of the conference is CLAIM! Citizen's Network for Peace, Reconcilliation and Human Security for the Western Balkans and Turkey in cooperation with the Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences, in Athens.  On the behalf of the Public Policy Research Centre, Jelena Sapic will participate and present key findings of the project "Firearms possession and Human (in)Security: Impact on the youth and gender-based violence". She will also present the work of Svetlana...

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22Feb2017

More Social Justice for more effective economic recovery of the EU - Stimulus for the social dimension of European integration

Should the European Union still worry only about economic growth and competitiveness regarding job creation within the Community? Are member states tackling their own social issues during the period of recovery from the crisis? Should the EU respond to issues faced daily by its citizens, both in the workplace, as well as their private lives? The arrival of Jean-Claude Juncker at the head of the European Commission in late 2015 started a great debate over these issues, along with the creation of the so-called European Pillar of Social Rights. It would be based on the social foundations of the EU, complementing them so as to guide policies in numerous areas of importance for the...

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20Feb2017

Project: Local Security and Role of MPs

Focus Group Conducted in Kraljevo

The CENTRE research team led by Filip Stojanovic and Jelena Sapic, discussed the gender-based violence with representatives of local institutions and civil society in Kraljevo today. These meetings were organized within the ongoing project "Local security and the Role of MPs" supported by the Democratiation Department of the OSCE Mission to Serbia. Fenomena logistically contributed to the meetings realization. The team will produce a tailored-made policy brief which will be presented at a panel discussion scheduled for March 2017. Aside from the participants of the meetings, members of the Parliament (MPs) who have residence in Kraljevo and...

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18Feb2017

Project: Organizational development grant from the Think Tank Fund

Between Survival and Development: The Challenges and Prospects of Think Tanks in the Western Balkans

The 2nd Conference for Managers of Think Tanks in the Western Balkans will take place from 20-23 February 2017 in Vienna, Austria. The conference titled Between Survival and Development: The Challenges and Prospects of Think Tanks in the Western Balkans, will be devoted to challenges and opportunities for think tanks at the global level and specifically in the Western Balkans.  Ad interim director of the CENTRE Tanja Jakobi will attend the conference.     Many factors are challenging the think tank industry, both globally and in the specific context of the Western Balkans region. The traditional business model of independent think tanks, based on producing lengthy reports...

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16Feb2017

Tanja Jakobi on the N1 News Show

Tanja Jakobi, CENTRE's ad interim director, appeared on the N1 news show broadcasted on February 16, 2017 commenting the workers' exploitation and inhumane working conditions in Slovakia revealed by the weekly "Nedeljnik".  Likewise, Katarina Ivanovic, a representative of the anti-traficking organization, ASTRA, gave a statement for the news show. She underlined the necessity for full enforcement of legal procedures to combat illegal employment. She said that contract with  a foreign empoyer should be signed before the departure and that such contract is not possible to sign with representatives of employment agencies. She pointed to the...

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15Feb2017

Husbands are deadlier than terrorists

The House of Representatives this month voted an end of restriction on people with severe psychiatric disorders to buy guns, reports New York Times. Likewise, the new administration proposed to re-legalize the purchase of silencers. “It’s all about protection”, Donald Trump Jr., the president’s son said explaining that silencers would reduce the danger of hearing loss from gunfire. Frankly, he said, re-legalization of silencers is only a health issue. More liberal policies toward gun possession opened some new questions. The new administrations’ priority to impose a travel ban on Muslim “terrorists” primarily for security reasons turned to be a...

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14Feb2017

Project: Local Security and Role of MPs

What is the Impact of the Migrant Crisis upon the Security of Citizens of Subotica?

Jelena Sapic and Filip Stojanovic, CENTRE's members, talked with local actors in Subotica on Monday, February 13, 2017. They discussed potential impact of the ongoing so-called migrant crisis on the local security in Subotica. The meetings were organized in cooperation with the Youth Office of the City of Subotica.   Based on the data gathered through the meetings, the research team will prepare a policy brief that will be presented on a panel discussion planned for March or April 2017. The participants of the meetings, MPs who have residence in Subotica and representatives of the OSCE mission to Serbia will attend the panel discussion.    These activities...

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13Feb2017

Project: Firearms Misuse and its Impact on Gender-based Violence

Focus Group on Youth's Perceptions on Firearms Possession and its Impact on GBV

The research CENTRE in cooperation with Urban In, an non-governmental organization from Novi Pazar, organized a focus group that gathered youth. The focus group took place on Saturday, February 11, 2017. The team aimed at exploring the youth's perception on firearms possession and its impact on gender-based violence.  During the project, the CENTRE will closely cooperate with representatives of local CSOs, public institutions and media in Serbia with a goal to raise capacities to understand the topics and to monitor GBV from the perspective of human security.  The project is supported through the MATRA programme of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the...

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13Feb2017

Project: Firearms Misuse and its Impact on Gender-based Violence

Women from Rural Areas in Sandzak Spoke about Gender-based Violence

The research team conducted a focus group with women living in rural areas in the municipality of Tutin. The focus group was organized in cooperation with the Association Impuls Tutin, as a part of the project "Addressing Firearms Misuse and the Impact on Gender-based Violence through Civil Action and Public Advocacy", which is being implemented through the MATRA programme of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Throughout the project, the CENTRE will work closely with representatives of local civil society organizations, the public institutions and the media in Serbia, in order to provide...

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10Feb2017

Project: Local Security and Role of MPs

Security of the Youth as the Topic of Meetings in Novi Pazar

CENTRE's research team that consists of Filip Stojanovic and Jelena Sapic had fruitfull meetings with representatives of local authorities and civil sector in Novi Pazar. These meetings were organized as a part of the project entitled "Local Security and the Role of MPs" which is supported by the Democratization Department of the OSCE Mission to Serbia. Youth Forum for Creative Activity (FOKRED) and the Foundation Front logistically supported the meetings organization.  The topic of the meetings were security of the youth and some of the questions opened during the discussions were: what is the security environment, particularly concerning the youth of Novi...

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10Feb2017

Project: Firearms Misuse and its Impact on Gender-based Violence

Focus group conducted in Krusevac

The CENTRE team conducted a focus groups with Roma women in Krusevac in cooperation with Romani Cikna this Friday, February 10, 2017. The focus group was organized within the project "Addressing Firearms Misuse and the Impact on Gender-based Violence through Civil Action and Public Advocacy". The data will be collected through focus groups in five cities and towns in Serbia and through interviews with representatives of institutions will be used to prepare a study and internet platform. The study and the platform are aimed at raising awarness among CSOs that deal with GBV, media and citizens in general. The project is supported...

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06Feb2017

Project: Firearms Misuse and its Impact on Gender-based Violence

Focus Group Conducted in Novi Becej

CENTRE's research team conducted a focus group aimed at exploring misuse of firearms and its impact on gender-based violence (GBV). This focus groups gathered women from different multiethnical communities in Novi Baecej. The activity was organized in cooperation with the Assiciation of Roma of Novi Becej. In addition to the focus group, an interview with representatives of local institutions also took place.  Data collected through focus groups discussions organized in five cities and towns in Serbia as well as through interviews conducted with representatives of institutions will be utilized for the preparation of a study and internet platform. The study and...

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27Jan2017

EU support to SEESAC’s Arms Control Activities extended to 2019

On 19 December 2016, the European Union adopted Council Decision (CFSP) 2016/2367 in support of SEESAC disarmament and arms control activities in South East Europe in the framework of the EU Strategy to combat illicit accumulation and trafficking of small arms and light weapons (SALW) and their ammunition, thus providing a financial support for a new phase of SEESAC’s work. For the next three years, the results of SEESAC’s work will continue to contribute to international peace and security by combating the threat posed by the widespread accumulation and illicit trafficking of SALW and their ammunition in and from South East Europe (SEE) and will remain an essential part of...

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23Jan2017

A Strategy to Help Respond to the Situation of Refugees and Migrants in Serbia in 2017 Presented

  The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) presented a new strategy and appeal to help respond to the situation of refugees and migrants in Serbia in 2017 on Jan 23. The strategy and appeal for Serbia are part of a bigger Regional Refugee and Migrant Response Plan for Europe (RMRP) covering Turkey, Southern Europe, Western Balkans, and other parts of Europe presented to potential donors in Geneva on 19 January. It aims at complementing and reinforcing the Governments’ efforts to ensure safe access to asylum and the protection of refugees and migrants. It also aims to support long-term solutions and orderly and dignified...

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20Jan2017

Report on Designing Inclusive Strategies for Sustainable Security Published

The OSCE Secretariat’s Gender Section and the Institute for Inclusive Security published a new report entitled "Designing Inclusive Strategies for Sustainable Security: Results-Oriented National Action Plans on Women, Peace and Security." The report is a product of the two day event in Vienna on preparation of National Action Plans (NAPs) related to the implementation of UN SCR 1325 on Women, Peace and Security. The event called the NAP Academy on enhancing the preparation and increasing the impact of NAPs, brought together 52 practitioners from across the OSCE region. Svetlana Djurdjevic Lukic, a former CENTRE's director, participated at the Academy....

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18Jan2017

Balkan Weapons Flowing to Iraqi Militias, Amnesty Warns

A new report by Amnesty International, published on Thursday, says weapons from various countries - including Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria and Romania - have ended up in Iraq with mainly Shiite militia groups, which have used the arms to commit serious crimes. Field research and analysis of photographic and video evidence since June 2014 has found that these predominantly Shiite militias, fighting against Islamic State in Iraq alongside Iraqi government troops, have accessed arms produced in at least 16 countries, mainly the US, Russia and European states. According to Amnesty, so-called Popular Mobilization Units, PMU, which formally joined the Iraqi armed forces in 2016, have used...

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09Jan2017

Sweden to focus on women and peace during UN Security Council presidency

Sweden will hold the United Nations Security Council presidency during January 2017. In her op-ed, the Swedish minister of foreign affairs, Margot Wallström highlighted three areas that will be particularly addressed - conflict prevention, inclusion of women in peace processes, and creating a "constructive new relationship" between new UN Secretary General (António Guterres) and the Security Council. By doing so, Sweden continues with its years-long foreign policy which is rooted in a solid foundation of international law, human rights, gender equality and a humanitarian approach. By selecting these priorities, Sweden intends to improve...

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18Nov2016

CENTRE Newsletter

The Human Security Conference participants payed tribute to Svetlana Djurdjevic-Lukic Ms. Mary Martin, a Senior Research Fellow at London School of Economics (LSE) paid tribute to Svetlana Djurdjevic Lukic, co-founder of the Center for Public Policy Research (CENTRE) who recently passed away, at the Human Security Conference. The conference was held on November 3th and 4th in Belgrade. “Svetlana’s contribution to the field of human security, and her focus on security threats that Serbian citizens face in their everyday dealings has produced a long lasting impact. Thanks to her work, CENTRE established itself as one of the pioneering think-tanks in Serbia dealing with the...

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17Oct2016

Project: Organizational development grant from the Think Tank Fund

EU's Internal Crisis as Serious Obstacle to Western Balkans's Eurointegration

The sixth Belgrade Security Forum was organized by the Belgrade Fund for Political Excellence, European Movement in Serbia and Belgrade Center for Security Policy and took place at Hyatt Regency Belgrade last week. It covered a wide range of security topics from different contexts and perspectives. It gathered a number of speakers and participants proving once again to be one of the most influential regional forums.  The panel which hosted discussion on the future of relations between Serbia and Albania recieved the greatest attention; its key speakers were Aleksandar Vucic and Edi Rama. Initiative to boost the dialogue between Serbia and...

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14Oct2016

Branko Milanovic's Lecture on Inequality

As a part of the Kapuscinski Development Lectures, Branko Milanovic provided perceptive insights into income distribution at the global level and into the creation of global "middle class". The lecture was supported by the European Commission, United Nations Development Programme  (UNDP), Center for Social Policy (CSP), and Faculty of Economics, Finance, and Administration (FEFA). According to Milanovic, due to globalization, inequality has become a global issue rather han a problem of an individual country. Therefore, it is important to focus on providing global wquality of opportunity and move forward from methodological nationalism. Milanovic also...

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11Oct2016

Project: How does Security Sector Reform Affect Human Security in Serbia? Reassessing the impact on LGBT

The First Annual ERA LGBTI Conference Held in Pristina

First annual conference organized by ERA LGBTI - LGBTI Equal Rights Association was held in the period October 6-8, 2016 in Pristina. The conference gathered 150 activists from 40 organizations from the Western Balkans, Western Europe and the United States. The organizers are: ERA LGBTI, Center for equality and liberty, Center for social group development with the support of the European Commission, USAID, Hirschfeld Edi Fondation and German Ministry of Foreign Affairs.   The main topics were legal framework and human rights of LGBT people. Participants agreed that problems are visible in all areas concerning implementation such as protection from violence and discrimination,...

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28Sep2016

A Tribute to Svetlana Djurdjevic-Lukic

The JSRP team has been deeply saddened to learn of the untimely death of our colleague from the South East European Research Network. Svetlana Djurdjevic-Lukic was a prominent Serbian civil society activist, policy analyst and scholar. She was an expert in human security and security policies, alongside her long-standing interest in US foreign policy. She was the author and co-author of numerous monographs, such as Global Policy of the US: 2001-2012 (2013) and The International Presence in Kosovo and Metohija, 1999-2009 (2010) as well as articles, book chapters and policy papers, including ‘The Media and Security Sector Reform in the Western...

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24Sep2016

Svetlana Djurdjevic Lukic, the Public Policy Research Center Director, Dies

Svetlana Djurdjevic Lukic, the director and co-founder of the Belgrade-based Public Policy Research Center, has passed away, at the age of 53, it was announced on Sunday. Djurdjevic Lukic has died from injuries sustained in a traffic accident last week, when she was hit by a bus. Djurdjevic Lukic was a reputable analyst and expert in the US foreign policy, human safety and security policy, and a prominent name of Serbian journalism in the 1990s, most notably during the time she worked at NIN weekly. Before founding the Public Policy Research Center Djurdjevic Lukic worked as researcher and advisor at the Department for International Development of the London School of Economics (LSE) in...

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16Sep2016

Project: How does Security Sector Reform Affect Human Security in Serbia? Reassessing the impact on LGBT

"Da se zna" Officially Presented

Association Da se zna presented its work and web portal which provides tools to report a case of violence against the LGBT population in Serbia. Dragoslava Barzut and Kristina Kastelec, activists and founders of Da se zna, introduced and explained into detail implemented system and measures for storing the data. Their aim is to create a unique database which will further provide a systemic and structured access to cases of violence against LGBT people in Serbia. The portal does not only contain a form to report the case, but also the guide regarding necessary steps to be taken immediately after the act of violence.  Da se zna i Center...

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15Sep2016

Project: How does Security Sector Reform Affect Human Security in Serbia? Reassessing the impact on LGBT

Proposal of the Bill on Gender Identity Will Enhance the Position of Transgender People

Proposal of the Bill on Gender Identity (hereafterin: the Bill) was presented on Thursday, September 15, at the Media Center Belgrade. This presentation was organized by Gayten-LGBT, Belgrade Pride and Civil Rights Defenders and it was one of the events of the 2016 Pride Week.  The Bill into details regulates questions prescribed by the National Strategy for the Prevention and Protection against Discrimination for the period 2014-2018 and Action Plan for its implementation. The Gayten-LGBT legal team provided insights into the process of making the law and underlined its significance. The Bill is expected to induce a...

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15Sep2016

CENTRE at the Academy on NAPs on the UNSCR 1325 implementation in the OSCE area

CENTRE’s Svetlana Djurdjevic-Lukic participated at the two day event in Vienna on preparation of National Action Plans (NAPs) related to the implementation of UN SCR 1325 on Women, Peace and Security. The NAP Academy on enhancing the preparation and increasing the impact of NAPs, brought together 52 practitioners from across the OSCE region. Organized by the OSCE Secretariat’s Gender Section and the Institute for Inclusive Security, the event served as a forum for exchange of experiences and best practices. Action Plans to implement UNSCR 1325 are effective tools for enhancing women's active role in conflict prevention, peace building and security processes in order to...

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29Aug2016

Project: Organizational development grant from the Think Tank Fund

Internet is not the Children's Toy: Comment on children's safety online

Share Foundation published a comment concerning children's safety online by the CENTRE's associate, Jelena Sapic. The comment entittled "Internet is not the Children's Toy" provided insights in the most recent developments in this field and underlined the significance of comprehensive, raising-awarness national campaign in order to successfully address the problem in question.  An online predator has been arrested thanks to the cooperation of a mother and the police in Belgrade this summer. Namely, her daughter recieved a disturbing message and informed the mother who instantly realized what was going on. The mother kept chatting with...

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22Aug2016

Project: Organizational development grant from the Think Tank Fund

Training of Trainers in the Field of Work with People with Disabilities Completed

International training of trainers entitled "Let's Speak about Disability: Mobility of Youth Workers'' took place in Igalo, Montenegro, in the period August 10-20, 2016. The training was organized by the Association of Youth with Disablities of Montenegro (AYDM) within the Erasmus+ Youth in Action programme. It gathered participants from Albania, Australia, Italy, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Portugal, Romania and Serbia. It aimed at empowerment of young activists and youth workers by transferring knowledge and skills necessary for future trainers, especially in the field of work with people with...

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22Aug2016

Project: How does Security Sector Reform Affect Human Security in Serbia? Reassessing the impact on LGBT

Boban Stojanovic, a LGBT Activist Attacked

Boban Stojanovic, a LGBT activist and one of the organizers of the Belgrade Pride, got attacked on Monday, August 22 in dowtown Belgade. The case was reported to the police which has started the investigation.   While he was talking on the phone, one of two perpetrators verbally harrased and then phisically injured Mr. Stojanovic. He manage to step back of the perpertrators  while they kept offending him based on his sexual orientation.  Mr. Stojanovic said he felt angry and scared as after every attack, but at the same time he felt obliged to stand up and speak up about the violence. "We have got used to live in everyday fear, to ignore violence,...

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18Aug2016

CENTRE in Media: About Biden's visit on N1 and Radio Belgrade 1

On the occasion of  the US Vice President Joe Biden's visit to Serbia on August 16, CENTRE's director Svetlana Djurdjevic-Lukic took part in N1's program Novi dan (New Day) and in Radion Belgrade 1's show Novinarenje.  She was a contributer together with Aleksandra Joksimovic, a president of the Foreign Policy Center, on the regional television N1. Ms. Djurdjevic-Lukic emphasized that Serbia increased its importance in the American foreign policy due to a stronger Russian influence in the region, migrants' crisis, and its citizens' military engagement, especially in the Middle East. Furthermore, she noted that long-term priorities of...

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17Aug2016

Project: How does Security Sector Reform Affect Human Security in Serbia? Reassessing the impact on LGBT

Attacks on LGBT Members Still Not Prosecuted

Violence against LGBT members have not been prosecuted yet. According to LGBT activists who reported violence, the police has not invested enough efforts to find perpetrators. Therefore, the findings of our survey do not come with surprise - half of respondents across Serbia agreed that the police should introduce new measures in order to improve the security of the LGBT. It was a predominant point of view (with an exception of the age group 15-19) despite summer season and consequently less answers in total.  The second out of four surveys which CENTRE tends to conduct within the project How does Security Sector Reform Affect Human Security in Serbia? Reassessing the impact on...

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10Aug2016

Social Dialogue without Appropriate Attention in the Exposé of the Prime Minister

Serbia needs more jobs for less-skilled labor force and better designed social dialogue, said Tanja Jakobi, CENTRE's member on the N1 news show. She appeared during a special report which analyzed the exposé of Aleksandar Vucic.  "The government plans to continue its policy of attracting investors that can employ labor force with lower level of education and skills which represents a positive sign. However, in my opinion the issue is that the PM did not dedicate significant attention to the topic of social dialogue. The social dialogue was literally mentioned only in one sentence in the exposé which is not sufficient,...

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05Aug2016

Project: Organizational development grant from the Think Tank Fund

The power of reflection when building your research agenda

This post was written by Tanja Jakobi, and published as the ninth article of a series of reflections to share what facilitators and participants learned through P&I’s online course Doing policy relevant research, ran for the first time in the first quarter of 2016. The blog was republished and posted on the website of On Think Tanks on August 9, too. Let me start with one Serbian joke: “Have you read the book The Bridge Over the Drina?” (written by Ivo Andric, a Nobel Prize Winer in 1961) says one man to the other. “Read? Why would I?”, says the other man somewhat insulted. “I know it better than that. I walk over...

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01Aug2016

Project: Firearms Possession and Human (In)Security: Impact on youth and gender based violence

Focus Groups Organized in Belgrade and Tutin

CENTRE's research team has started to explore the perception of youth and women concerning firearms possession in Serbia. Two focus groups which gathered young people were conducted in Belgrade and Tutin during July. The focus group in Tutin was organized in cooperation with Tutin Youth Initiative. The aim of the project is to contribute to reduction of human insecurity in Serbia for the youth and women as vulnerable groups in Serbia.The project is supported by the CLAIM! Citizen's Network for Peace, Reconcilliation and Human Security for the Western Balkans and Turkey within the grant which EU awarded this Network in 2012.  

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28Jul2016

Project: Firearms Possession and Human (In)Security: Impact on youth and gender based violence

Ombudsman: Omissions of Competent Services in This Year’s 12 Cases of Murders of Women

      Control of actions of the state services in the cases of 14 women murdered since the beginning of the year established that in as many as in 12 of them there were omissions in their work, ombudsman Sasa Jankovic said on Thursday. Jankovic specially stressed this month’s case that took place in the Vojvodina village of Zitiste where a jealous man killed his ex-wife and four more people, and wounded over 20 of them by indiscriminately shooting from an automatic rifle in a restaurant.   There were omissions because the center for social work failed to respond to earlier reports of domestic violence, Jankovic said.   Previously, Minister of Labor...

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15Jul2016

Project: Firearms Possession and Human (In)Security: Impact on youth and gender based violence

Government Announces Harsh Battle against Family and Other Violence in Society

As a part of the battle against violence, Serbia would change the criminal law and introduce new crimes – sexual harassment and stalking, Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic announced on July 15, news agencies reported. We will try to increase the minimal penalty and increase the maximum penalty, Vucic said. He said that increase of maximum penalties of imprisonment did not give expected results in practice so far and thus it was decided to increase the minimum penalty. “This means that there could be no suspended sentence, but there must be imprisonment, primarily for three crimes – sexual intercourse with a child, sexual intercourse with a disabled...

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11Jul2016

Project: How does Security Sector Reform Affect Human Security in Serbia? Reassessing the impact on LGBT

CENTRE’s Poll: Institutions provide protection, but also engage in discrimination against LGBTI

More than three-fifths of respondents in the CENTRE’s survey completely or partly agree with the following statement - institutions in Serbia discriminate against LGBTI population. The survey results are compatible with earlier findings of the Ombudsman and Commissioner for Protection of Equality. In their annual reports, they pointed out that LGBTI population is among the most discriminated groups in our society while institutions which are responsible for implementation of anti-discriminatory laws are often source of discriminatory practices. Around one fifth of total respondents do not agree completely or partly with the abovementioned statement, whereas around one tenth is...

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07Jul2016

Project: Firearms Possession and Human (In)Security: Impact on youth and gender based violence

An Op-Ed of Ms. Svetlana Djurdjevic-Lukic, CENTRE's Director for the Weekly NIN: A set of policy measures is needed to reduce firearms possession

Within the cover story of the weekly news magazine "NIN" on July 7th 2016, op-ed of Ms. Svetlana Djurdjevic-Lukic, one of the very few persons in Serbia specialized in issues related to the civilian possession of firearms, was published. Commenting on the last week's massacre in Zitiste, committed by the illegally possessed automatic rifle, the CENTRE’s director criticized opinions stressing out that "the person is responsible for the crime, not the weapon itself", as well as those implying how "it is impossible to resolve the issue of illegal firearms possession". Considering such approach unproductive, she underlined that the widespread...

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02Jul2016

Project: Firearms Possession and Human (In)Security: Impact on youth and gender based violence

Commissioner for Protection Equality: Violence against women is severe problem in our society

Commissioner for Protection Equality in Serbia, Brankica Jankovic noted that two murders on Saturday are unfortunate reminders that violence against women have been the most severe issues in the society.    ''The masacre in Zitiste and murder of the woman in a village near Knjazevac are the alert to all the relevant institutions and authorities to react immediately in order to take appropriate and timely measures to prevent partner violence that too often has lethal end," said Jankovic.   She also added that media bears its share of the responsibility in fighting against gender-based violence, "and it is necessary to...

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01Jul2016

Regulation on the Safety and Protection of Children Online Adopted

Government of the Republic of Serbia adopted the Regulation on the Safety and Protection of Children using the Information and Communications Technology on June 30. This is the first legal document of such kind.  According to the Regulation, the Ministry of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications (MTT) is in charge of preventive measures. It does so by providing relevant and accurate information and education. Children, parents and teachers will be able to acquire information about benefits and risks of using the Internet, as well as methods for its safe use. MTT in cooperation with the public media service of Serbia will promote...

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29Jun2016

Project: Organizational development grant from the Think Tank Fund

New Security Policy of Serbia Is Required

In the light of the upcoming NATO Summit in Warsaw (July 8-9) and new strategic document of the European Union - Global strategy of foreign and security policy, a conference "Western Balkans and NATO before and after the Warsaw Summit" was organized on June 28 by the Center for Euro-Atlantic Studies (CEAS) in Belgrade. The main topics of the conference were: current security situation in Europe and risks that European countries encouter, consequences of the recent referendum in the UK, as well as implications that ongoing events in Europe may have on the future euroatlantic integration of the Republic of Serbia, in particular, and the Western Balkans region, in...

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28Jun2016

Project: How does Security Sector Reform Affect Human Security in Serbia? Reassessing the impact on LGBT

International Pride Day Marked Today

Inernational Pride Day is marked as remembrance of the 1969 Stonewall uprising when LGBT activists demonstrated against a police raid in New York. Various festivals, marches and events were organized around the world today in order to raise awarness of LGBT position, particularly of their rights violations and forms of discrimination and violence whcih they encounter on a daily basis.  According to Da se zna, an online platform which collects reports of violence against LGBT community in Serbia, 23% of LGBTI population has been exposed to the physical violence due to their sexual orientation or gender identity, while 73% of violence took place on street and perpetrators were...

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25Jun2016

Impacts of the Brexit upon the Serbian Economy Depend on the EU's Response

It is difficult to predict what impacts the Brexit will have upon the Serbian economy at this moment. Taking in consideration close economic ties between Serbia and the EU, negative impacts are likely to occur if the EU enters the recession after the Brexit vote, said Tanja Jakobi, CENTRE's member in the news for the Serbian broadcasting coorporation RTS. As a consequence, it may slowdown the Serbian exports.  Jakobi pointed out that financial turmoil induced by the Brexit may make investors vigilant, therefore the FDI levels in 2016 would not reach predicted levels. She was among experts who took a part in the special RTS coverage on the...

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21Jun2016

Project: How does Security Sector Reform Affect Human Security in Serbia? Reassessing the impact on LGBT

EU Council Adopted Conclusions on Protection of LGBT Rights

EU member states adopted the conclusions on the protection of LGBT and women's rights and gender equality on June 20. This way, the member states for the first time ever agreed and obliged themselves to work together against all forms of LGBT discrimination and work towards achieving equality. The conclusions proscribed close cooperation with the European Commission in order to enforce the LGBT Action List and achieve the equality of LGBT community.  The conclusions entail annual reports (including recommendations) on the LGBT position in the member states by the European Commission. Adoption of this important document was preceded by the Orlando shooting and failed...

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20Jun2016

Firearms Possession and Human (In)Security: Impact on youth and gender based violence

Since June 20, the Public Policy Centre has been conducting a project concerning perceptions of firearms possession, especially among youth and women. The aim is to contribute to reduction of human insecurity in Serbia for these vulnerable groups. Qualitative data will be collected through interviews and focus gropus organized at three locations. Furthermore, based on the fieldwork findings and desktop research a policy brief will be produced and will be used in order to raise awarness about links between firearms possession and violence against youth and women. The project lasts until October 2016 and it is supported by the CLAIM!...

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15Jun2016

Closing UNDP SEESAC Conference on Gender Equality in Military

Closing conference of the UNDP SEESAC project Strengthening of Regional Cooperation on Gender Mainstreaming in Security Sector Reform in the Western Balkans took place on 15 June 2016 in Belgrade. The project implementation has started in March 2012 and it gathered the Ministries of Defence (MoDs) in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia and Macedonia in close partnership and with the support of UNDP’s SEESAC initiative.   The key results include the continuous facilitation of regional cooperation on gender equality in the military, enabling regular information sharing and knowledge exchange among MoDs and armed forces (AFs) in the...

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14Jun2016

Project: How does Security Sector Reform Affect Human Security in Serbia? Reassessing the impact on LGBT

Belgrade Stands in Solidarity Honoring Orlando Victims

Omar Mateen killed 50 people in a gay club "Pulse" in Orlando, Florida, last weekend. This shooting was described as the worst act of terrorism on American soil since Sept. 11, 2001, and the deadliest attack on a gay target in the nation’s history. Activists and members of the LGBT community in Serbia gathered today to honor the Orlando victims and expressed their solidarity in achieving equality, freedom, and secuirty. The representative of the US embassy thanked on the support and stated that we all must work together to eradicate hate and discrimination to ensure that the Orlando masacre will not repeat any where in the world. It is necessary to keep fighting...

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13Jun2016

CENTRE at the Conference on Managing Arms Exports held in Brussels

The COARM-NGO conference ''Risky business: Managing arms exports to MENA in times of trouble'' will be held in Brussels on June 14. Taking in consideration the CENTRE's expertise, Svetlana Djurdjevic Lukic will take part in it as the only representative from the Western Balkans.  The conference will adress numerous questions regarding not only the arms exports itself, but also EU's regulation of arms trade. Participants will discuss some of the key terms and provisions of the EU Common Position on arms exports and of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). Furthermore, they will consider implications of these upon the arms exports in the MENA region...

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10Jun2016

Final Meeting on Preparing NAP for the Implementation of UN SC Resolution 1325 in Belgrade

Final meeting within the consultative process of preparing the National Action Plan for the implementation of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 - Women, Peace and Security for the 2016-2020 period was held in the National Assembly on June 10. 175 participants took part in the meeting; among them representatives of diplomatic corps, governmental institutions, non-governmental organizations, media and members of the National Assembly.  Prior to the final meeting in Belgrade, a series of meetings with local actors were organized across Serbia (Nis, Vranje, Novi Pazar, Krusevac, Novi Sad, Knjazevac, Arandjelovac, etc). The aim was to engage local...

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08Jun2016

Project: Organizational development grant from the Think Tank Fund

CENTRE in Media: Radio show on children's safety online

Today's episode of the radio show ''Talasanje" was dedicated to children's safety on the Internet (on air on June 8, 2016 at 11.00 AM, Radio Belgrade 1, author: Nenad Militarevic). Jelena Sapic, CENTRE's member, discussed online risks which children and young people may encounter, together with Miljana Jovanovic (Center for Safer Internet Serbia) and Vladimir Radosavljevic (Eduko Consulting). Jelena presented the key recommendations of the CENTRE's policy brief which approached children as vulnerable group in cyber space.  The main motive to host such a discussion was the creation of pedophiles' database and commencement of...

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01Jun2016

Public Policy Research CENTRE's Newsletter

The Public Policy Research Centre has prepared three policy briefs, conducted the election monitoring focusing on the security issues, and it has started a new project on the human security of the LGBT community. CENTRE is now receiving applications for the position of a researcher/project officer. Thank you for following our work. Please find below an overview of the most important activities of the Public Policy Research Center in the previous period.   MECHANISMS OF SUPPORT TO EMPLOYEES OF THE MINISTRY OF DEFENCE AND OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS The CENTRE organized a discussion on the mechanisms of support to the employees of the Ministry of Defence and the...

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26May2016

Project: Organizational development grant from the Think Tank Fund

Discussion: Mechanisms of support to employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and of the Ministry of Defence

A discussion on the mechanisms of support to employees of the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Internal Affairs took place on Thursday, May 26, at 3pm on the CENTRE’s premisis. CENTRE's aim was to encourage a broader debate about the results of existing mechanins of support and offer recommendations for their improvements. The motivation was twofold. Firstly, current finalization of a new National Action Plan for the implementation of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 has not included assessement on mechanisms for fighting gender discrimination which were established in the previous NAP. Second motive was setting up the Department for...

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20May2016

Project: Security issues within Serbian 2016 election campaign

Centre's Analysis Presented in a TV show Broader Picture at N1

Broader Picture, a TV political show which is broadcasted at regional television N1 depicts a wide range in the field of security such as military neutrality, gender equality in the military, cooperation with NATO, Russia, and the USA. The authors of the show interviewed the Centre's director, Svetlana Djurdjevic Lukic which spoke about the representation of the security topics within the electoral campaign. Djurdjevic said the political parties observed in the Centre's monitoring did not take clear positions on topics like NATO, She also presented Centre's results on the impact of the security sector reforms on vulnerable groups.  More about the Broader Picture in...

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17May2016

Project: How does Security Sector Reform Affect Human Security in Serbia? Reassessing the impact on LGBT

International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia Marked Today

International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia, IDAHO is observed on May 17 worldwide. This date was chosen as a commemoration of the World Health Organisation's decision to remove homosexuality from its International Classification of Diseases. IDAHO aims at raising awarness about violence against the LGBT people. According to results of the large-scale research conducted by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, 47% of 93,000 LGBT respondents across the EU experienced a form of violence due to their different sexual orientation.  IDAHO was marked in Serbia as well. The Rainbow (Duga) Awards Ceremony, hosted in the Assembly of the City...

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13May2016

Project: Security issues within Serbian 2016 election campaign

The NATO Missile Shield Base in Romania, Implicit Pressure on Serbia

NATO has activated the missile shield base in neighbouring Romania regardless the opposition from Russia which announced undertaking appropriate countermeasures. This news confirmed ongoing allegations of the growing tensions between NATO and Russia. Moreover, the set-up of this base involved the implicit pressure on Serbia. On Friday, CENTRE put forward the question whether there is room for the security policy based on military neutrality in such international circumstances, while FoNET and Balkan Magazine conveyed its further analysis.  Among political parties and coalitions that will be represented in the new...

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10May2016

Project: Organizational development grant from the Think Tank Fund

UNICEF Survey on Parental Awareness of Online Child Abuse Risks

UNICEF presented key findings of the project Advancements of Policy and Legal Framework in the field of Prevention and Protections of Children against Digital Violence, conducted within the Global Programme for Capacity Building in Combating Sexual Exploitation of Children Online. According to the results, more than 85% of children between 8-17 years who use the Internet spend online more than an hour; more sprecifically more than 43% of them use the Internet two or more hours daily. Time spent online increases with children's age, particularly for the age group 10-11 years. Based on parents' perceptions, children's attention on the Internet is...

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06May2016

Project: Targeting weapons - misuse of weapons in Serbia

Research Targeting Weapons in the Spotlight of the Week of Action Against Gun Violence 2016

The UNDP-SEESAC's research "Targeting Weapons" which realization was comissioned to the Public Policy Research Centre is in the spotlight of a campaign Hear out the Voice of the Victims. The campaign is a part of the Global Week of Action Against Gun Violence 2016 which is scheduled for May 1-8, 2016. It is conducted in 85 countries worldwide and is organized by the International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA). The global week aims to present methods to stop the proliferation and misuse of small arms and light weapons; it raises awareness of increase levels in armed violence and its...

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27Apr2016

Project: Security issues within Serbian 2016 election campaign

What is the Security Policy of Serbia and Why It Was Out of Scope during the Electoral Campaign?

The Public Policy Research Centre presented the results of the election monitoring of security issues within the electoral campaign and a policy brief entitled ''What is the Security Policy of Serbia?'' by Jelena Radoman, a CENTRE's member.  The analysis of the election monitoring addressed the following questions among others: What and how did the political parties approach a wide range of security issues during the electoral campaign?  Who did they address to and whether they followed their political programs in terms of security?  What are the problems of Serbia in this area and what possible answers are?   In its analysis...

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25Apr2016

Project: Security issues within Serbian 2016 election campaign

Invitation to the presentation of analysis and discussion: Does Serbia have a security policy?

Public Policy Research Centre cordially invites you to join the presentation and discussion: WHAT IS THE SECURITY POLICY OF SERBIA? which will be held on Wednesday, April 27 at 12.00 pm in Media Center, Terazije 3, Belgrade: How political parties approached a wide range of security topics within the 2016 electoral campaign? Whom they addressed to and how much they adhered to their official party programmes? What are the problems of Serbia in the field of security policies and what possible solutions are?   These are the questions that Centre’s team has answered through monitoring of security issues during the electoral campaign and by assessing argumentation given to...

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22Apr2016

Project: Security issues within Serbian 2016 election campaign

CENTRE in the Election Night in Media Center Belgrade

Public Policy Research Centre will participate in a discussion regarding the 2016 election results. The discussion will be organized on April 24 in Media Center Belgrade, by Center for Research, Trasnperancy and Accountability (CRTA). In anticipation of the first election results, participants will discuss different features of the electoral process including the campaing content. On the behalf of CENTRE, Svetlana Djurdjevic Lukic will present the research on political parties’ approach to security issues. CENTRE has published two analysis of the electoral campaign from the perspective of security. These are available in Serbian under the following links (Analysis...

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19Apr2016

Project: Security issues within Serbian 2016 election campaign

CENTRE’s Analysis in "Danas": NATO as the most common topic in the electoral campaign

Daily newspaper "Danas" published CENTRE’s analysis on the representation of security issues in its special section called "Electoral Fever." The article pointed out the CENTRE’s findings which showed that the question of joining NATO was the most common topic in the current electoral campaign, compared to all the others from the wider range of topics related to security issues.  Furthermore, the article noted that the first reason is the 17th anniversary of the NATO bombing (March 24), which was marked during the campaign. Almost all the parties released a statement regarding this event. Among the ruling coalition, the most explicit in...

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16Apr2016

Project: Security issues within Serbian 2016 election campaign

CENTRE's Analysis in a Special Section on Elections of the Daily "Danas"

Daily newspaper "Danas" published the CENTRE’s analysis on the representation of security issues in the 2016 electoral campaign in its special section called "Electoral Fever." The article refered to the main results of the second election monitoring cycle and it quoted Svetlana Djurdjevic Lukic, CENTRE’s director, and Jelena Radoman, a researcher. It said that the major political coalitions have not taken clear positions on a range of security issues such as domestic violence, democratic control of security structures and euro-atlantic integration. The statements made by representatives of the coallitions gathered around SNS, SPS, DS,...

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13Apr2016

Project: Security issues within Serbian 2016 election campaign

Election Monitoring: Political parties on security issues

The latest Public Policy Research Centre’s analysis on the election monitoring shows that the major political coalitions have not taken clear positions on a range of security issues such as domestic violence, democratic control of security structures and euro-atlantic integration. The election monitoring includes sixelectoral lists formed by SNS, SPS, DS, SDS, DSS-Dveri, and SRS. It examines representatives’ statements published in print and electronic media. This analysis covers the period between 30th March and 10th April and it has showed that most of statements made by parties’ representatives were either reactions to events and decisions of political actors...

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22Mar2016

Project: National HDR 2016: How to improve security of vulnerable municipalities in Serbia?

Public Policy Research Centre on the UNDP conference about Women's Proactive Role in Disaster

   Program Director of Public Policy Research Centre's Branka Anđelkovic and Centre's researcher Maja Kovac, leaders of team research and compile the National Human Development Report (NHDR) for Serbia, participate in a two day conference of the United Nations Development Programme in Serbia about improved role of women in emergency situations menagement systems. In the office of UNDP Serbia in Belgrade, on the conference Empowered Women - Resilient Communities: Women to Take Proactive Role in Disaster Risk Reduction, UNDP wants to encourage gender in risk disaster menagment.    Studies related to the Serbian experience following the 2014 floods have...

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18Mar2016

Workshop of the Government's working group for making the NAP Women, Peace and Security

   Two subgroups of the of the Government's working group for making the National Action Plan AP Women, Peace and Security for the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 - Women, Peace and Security have worked three days in Kanjiza on the proposal for a model of reporting, formulation of objectives, activities and indicators that will be an integral part of the new NAP for the period 2016-2020. As a member of the subgroup of the methodology, CENTRE’s Director Svetlana Đurđević-Lukić actively participated in the workshop.                   In this period the focus will not be only on the security...

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15Mar2016

Project: Security issues within Serbian 2016 election campaign

Security issuies in election campaign - Centre's new project

   Public Policy Research Centre undertakes monitoring of the election campaign. Having in mind Centre's focus on security and considerations of influence of the security sector's reform on citizens, Centre will analyze which security threats are considered by parties or coalitions, which mechanisms have been proposed as response on them, and what are the target groups. Two data factsheets will be presented during April to increase understanding of the media and voters of security related issues and debates as advocated by the leading parties’ proponents.             The research team are Svetlana Djurdjevic, Jelena Radoman,...

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11Mar2016

Working meeting on the draft negotiating position for Chapter 24

    The working meeting between representatives of state institutions and civil society organizations within the National Convention on the European Union on the draft negotiating position for Chapter 24 (Justice, Freedom and Security) was held at the National Assembly on March 11th 2016. Tanja Miščević, Chief Negotiator for Serbia’s accession negotiations with the EU and Aleksandar Nikolić, State Secretary of Ministry of Interior Affairs, chairman of the Negotiating Group on justice, freedom and security, as well as experts who lead specific thematic areas under this chapter used this consultative meeting to inform OCD about the content of the draft...

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10Mar2016

23 Percent of Women in Serbian Police

   23 percent of employees of the Serbian police are women, which is the largest percentage in the region, but they mostly hold administrative positions, it was said on Tuesday at the conference on engaging women in police forces in the countries of the west Balkan. Women in the police, however, do not have equal chances to advance in their careers, and there are still numerous prejudices that they face at work on a daily basis, they said at the meeting.                 When it comes to hiring women in the police, European standard is about 30 percent, and according to the available information, 23 percent of employees in the...

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08Mar2016

Project: Targeting weapons - misuse of weapons in Serbia

Violence Against Women and Girls: Beyond the Numbers

   As the world celebrates International Women’s Day, and on the same day as the 47th Session of the UN Statistical Commission begins in New York with the motto 'Better Data, Better Lives', the Small Arms Survey highlights the need for improved data on gender-based violence and femicide.   While some countries have made progress in data collection methods and increased the availability of sex-disaggregated information on homicides, others—particularly in Asia and Africa—are still under-researched. Limited availability and accessibility of sex-disaggregated data stems largely from poor reporting practices, an absence of standardised definitions and...

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08Mar2016

Public Policy Research Centre on the development and sustainability of civil society

   As an international expert related to the civil society development, Program Director of Public Policy Research Centre's Branka Anđelkovic at the conference related to the development and sustainability of civil society will moderate the first panel All on the same task – cooperation between public sector and non-governmental organization. The conference Permanent Dialogue Days 2016 is organized by Office for Cooperation with Civil Society and will be held on 9th and 10th of March 2016 in Belgrade, at the premises of the Cultural Centre Vuk Karadzic.   The key issues for Civil sector organization representatives are what are government...

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01Mar2016

Radio Belgrade report on the presentation on Roma's vulnerability and human trafficking

   Radio Belgrade 1 reported about the results on Roma's vulnerability and human trafficking during the debate held in Public Policy Research Centre. The research named Vulnerability of Roma in the Anti-human Trafficking Policy Discourse in Serbia did by Jelena Jovanovic, researcher of Center for Policy Studies (CPS) at the Central European University (CEU) showed there were no comunication beetween state institution on local and national level about Roma issues.       As direct concequnece Roma human trafficking are not identified. Public policy actors at the national level argue that local actors do not identify Roma victims because  of...

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25Feb2016

Public Policy Research Centre hosts the presentation on Roma's vulnerability and human trafficking

   Debate about Vulnerability of Roma in the Anti-human Trafficking Policy Discourse in Serbia will be held on Monday, 29th February 2016 from 11  a.m. in Public Policy Research Centre. How the anti-trafficking policy actors understand 'Roma' as a group vulnerable to human trafficking in Serbia, what are  the implications of the policy discourse on 'vulnerability of Roma' to the decision-making processes and implementation of the anti-trafficking policies, those are the questions that Jelena Jovanovic, researcher of Center for Policy Studies (CPS) at the Central European University (CEU) will address.   The project uses qualitative research...

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17Feb2016

A complex world of females and firearms

MarieClaire.com partnered with the Harvard Injury Control Research Center on a groundbreaking national survey of women's relationship with guns.While typical surveys assess gun ownership by household, meaning that if one person keeps a gun, his or her choice ends up representing the preference of everyone in the home, this survay looks for the voice of woman which is usually the silenced one.  Beneath the surface of the guns discussion in America—one traditionally dominated by men—there's a complex world of females and firearms. In 10 stories, MarieClaire.com shed light on what often goes unseen: how women feel about, live with, and die by guns....

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10Feb2016

Project: Monitoring Serbia’s OSCE Chairmanship

Serbia did not deliver on all elements of self-assessment process

The year of Serbian OSCE chairmanship passed with great compliments about the work in the field of diplomacy. The situation is different when it comes to domestic policy. Although the Government of Serbia took the responsibility to be actively involved in the process of self-assessment of the level of fulfillment of the OSCE recommendations in the field of "human dimension" in Serbia, it was done late, incompletely and only formally.    A new model of self-assessment in fulfillment of OSCE commitments in the human dimension was introduced during the Swiss OSCE chairmanship with the purpose of giving example as the chairmanship country related to...

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03Feb2016

Project: Targeting weapons - misuse of weapons in Serbia

A Gun as a Defense? The US Stats Say It’s More Likely to Harm Your Family

Politicians have been calling on Americans to arm themselves in the wake of the Paris and San Bernardino attacks, and industry reps say sales are up. But years of research say that keeping a gun in a home increases shooting risks. (...) the odds of a U.S. citizen being killed in a terrorist attack are about one in 20 million. Even after the mass shooting in San Bernardino, only 38 American citizens had died on U.S. soil from terrorist attacks in the last decade, while 280,024 had died from gun violence. In fact, statistically speaking, one should be more fearful of toddlers, given that in 2015, toddlers shot and killed more Americans than terrorists did....

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30Jan2016

How insecurity and uncertainty of journalist position affect public informing of citizens on Radio Belgrade 2

   In the Radio Belgrade 2 show Agora, Tanja Jakobi, journalist and Public Policy Research Centre’s researcher spoke how insecurity and uncertainty of journalist position affect public informing of citizens in Serbia.  1.100 employed and unemployed journalists were questioned about freedom of the media, the perception of state control and censorship. The study has shown that instead of the interests of the citizens in the first place there are the interests of advertisers and politicians. Thanks to political and marketing pressures, journalists are unable to carry out their work as they should to do - said Tanja Jakobi. Journalists are in the same position like the...

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21Jan2016

Project: Targeting weapons - misuse of weapons in Serbia

Public Policy Centre in media - possession of weapons in Serbia

    In the latest weekly Nedeljnik, in an article named Fargo, Serbia, journalist quoted The Public Policy Research CENTRE Targeting weapons - misuse of weapons in Serbia.  The study was done for UNDP Eastern and South Eastern Europe Clearinghouse for the Control of Small Arms (SEESAC). This study refers to the incidents involving weapons showed that in 80 and 90 percent of the incidents unregistered weapons were used. It was also found that about 70 percent of the incidents involving arms happened among people who are in the close relationships.Please note, the research included incidents that media reported last two years.    According to...

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11Jan2016

CENTRE’s Director about community policing for daily „Večernje novosti“

   Community policing means there are enough people in the police departments that will every day communicate with citizens in various locations. These people should be blose to the citizens, to speak the local language, their patrols should involve women, Roma and other minorities – said CENTRE’s Director Svetlana Đurđević-Lukić for daily „Večernje novosti“.    Although it is among the priorities of the Ministry of Interior Affairs and there is a strategy from April 2013, the concept of community policing in Serbia still has not been implemented in practice. As a consequence the state has lost almost one million euros from the European funds....

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11Jan2016

The constitutive session of the Government's working group for NAP UN Resolution 1325

    The constitutive session of the Government's working group for making the National Action Plan for the implementation of Security Council Resolution 1325 United Nations - Women, Peace and Security for the period from 2016 to 2020 has been held. The Public Policy Research Centre’s Director Svetlana Đurđević-Lukić was appointed by the Government of the Republic of Serbia, with only a few more representative of the NGO sector in this Working Group.                The Working Group has set up several sub-groups that should draw up certain elements for the initial proposal of the new NAP until end of April.

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25Dec2015

CENTRE will be part of the Government's working group

  CENTRE’s Director Svetlana Đurđević-Lukić will be part of the Government's working group for making the National Action Plan for the implementation of Security Council Resolution 1325 United Nations - Women, Peace and Security for the period from 2016 to 2020.    Although Serbia was among the first countries in the region that adopted the National action plan, its objectives have not yet been realized in practice. The researchers of the Centre were participated for defininig and monitoring of previos NAP for the period from 2010 to 2015. Positive examples in the implementation of the previous National Action Plan relate to the establishment institutions and...

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24Dec2015

Working Group meeting NCEU for chapter 31

Working Group meeting NCEU for Foreign Policy, Defense and Security has been held on December 24th 2015 in premises of European Movement in Serbia. Marina Jovicevic, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Vladimir Ateljevic, adviser of Minister for European Integrations have discussed on the previous negotiation process for Chapter 31. Svetlana Djurdjevic Lukic, the CENTRE’s Director has participated to discussion. CENTRE was an initiator of cooperation between Working group and Team engaged for preparation of Draft Law on the export and import of arms and military equipment in previous period in order to involve the experts from civil sector in commenting the Draft Law and contributing...

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17Dec2015

Project: Youth and Democratic Control of Security Sector

Discussion on lessons learned and recommendations for future support of CSOs by OSCE

During the implementation of the project “Consolidating the democratization process in the security sector in the Republic of Serbia”, in the 2010-2015 period the Democratization Department of the OSCE Mission to Serbia provided support to civil society organizations to implement 28 small-scale projects in the field of security sector reform in Serbia with support of Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency SIDA. Discussion on the findings of these projects and lessons learned was organized first at the conference in Nis and later was presented a detail report by Jelena Radoman with recommendations for future support of civil society organizations in...

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16Dec2015

Project: Monitoring Serbia’s OSCE Chairmanship

Civil Gatherings in Legal Vacuum

There has been a legal vacuum in Serbia since October 9 in the field of regulations on public gatherings, as in April the Constitutional Court found the provisions of the current Law on Public Gathering of Citizens – unconstitutional, State Secretary in the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MUP) Jana Ljubicic said on Tuesday, news agency Fonet reports.                 Despite the legal vacuum, 15,600 public gatherings were held between 10 October and 30 November, Ljubicic said at a joint session of parliamentary boards for defense and internal affairs and human and rights of minorities and gender...

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15Dec2015

Project: Monitoring Serbia’s OSCE Chairmanship

The CENTRE’s researchers' paper published in new Collection of Papers “Forty years since the signing of the Helsinki Final Act”

This year is the 40th anniversary of the Helsinki Final Act singing, as well as the year of Serbian OSCE Chairmanship. On this important occasion, the Institute of Comparative Law has launched the Collection of Papers on topics relevant for the OSCE, written by distinguished foreign and domestic experts. Svetlana Djurdjevic Lukic and Marina Tadic, researchers in the Public Policy Research Centre wrote a paper titled “Civil society role in human dimension of the OSCE”. The Organization for Security and Cooperation is one of the main international security organizations, which is transparent and open for cooperation...

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11Dec2015

Work meeting: reorganization of Ministry of Interiors within reform process in Chapter 24 (Justice, Freedom and Security)

Work meeting within NCEU for chapter 24, where the participants have discussed about police reform, reorganization and systematization of Ministry of Interior and draft Law on Police, has been held in Belgrade on December 11th in premises of National Assembly. Special advisor of Minister of Interior, dr Amadeo Watkins stressed that the latest version of Draft Law on Police is on official website of Ministry of Interior and this is not the final document and the procedure of adoption in National Assembly is expected till the end of the year. The main reasons for introduction of new organization structure and system of human resources management are efficient public administration and...

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07Dec2015

Project: Targeting weapons - misuse of weapons in Serbia

Montenegrin TV on arms possession

The problem of civilian arms possession was the topic of talk show “Otvoreno” RTV Montenegro on Decembar 7th at 8 pm. CENTRE’s Director Svetlana Djurdjevic Lukic was a guest as a regional expert on the topic. Zoran Radojevic, the representative of  Ministry of Interior, Gudrun Elizabeth Štajnaker, the Ambassador of Germany in Montenegro and Dragan Koprivica, director of Centre for Democratic Transition from Podgorica were discussing about the current action “Respect life, Return Weapons” in Montenegro. CENTRE’s director was speaking on the results of action of legalization or surrendering illegally possessed weapons conducted in Serbia...

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03Dec2015

Project: Monitoring Serbia’s OSCE Chairmanship

Parallel Civil Society Conference Held

Civic Solidarity Platform - the network of independent NGO from the OSCE region, organized Parallel Civil Society Conference on the eve of the OSCE Ministerial Council, on December 1st and 2nd, 2015 in Belgrade. The main topics of this event were: freedom of expression, migration, torture and human rights defenders. The representatives of Civic Solidarity Platform delivered the report on their primary concerns and recommendations regarding the implementation of OSCE human dimension commitments to OSCE “Trojka”: Chairmanship in 2015- Serbia, in 2014 Swiss, and incoming Chairmanship - Germany. The key partner in Serbia was the Coalition for monitoring human...

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30Nov2015

Project: Monitoring Serbia’s OSCE Chairmanship

Novinarenje about Serbia’s OSCE chairmanship and Parallel Civil Society Conference

Svetlana Djurdjevic Lukic, CENTRE's Director was a guest at Radio Belgrade programme in ‘’Novinarenje’’ talk show on November 30th. On this occasion, she has announced the Parallel Civil Society Conference on December 1st and 2nd on the eve of the OSCE Ministerial Council in Belgrade.         Public Policy Research Centre, a member of Coalition of civil society organizations for monitoring Serbia’s OSCE chairmanship will present the findings related to the implementation of OSCE commitments in area of position of Roma men and women in Serbia, and CENTRE’s Director is a moderator of panel discussion about mandate of...

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30Nov2015

Project: Towards efficient policies on local level - budget line 481 for NGOs

Budget Line 481: Old concerns, slight improvements

Financial distribution through the Budget Line 481 - Grants for NGOs is still non-transparent showed the results of a pilot project called "Towards a more effective budgetary policies at the local level - budget line 481, grants to non-governmental organizations". The project was conducted by the Centre for Development of Non-profit Sector (CRNPS) and the Public Policy Research Centre and took place in three municipalities - Pirot, Kraljevo and Sombor - in the period from September to November. The results were presented at the joint conference at the Human Rights House in Belgrade. During the implementation of the project, the project team analyzed the data related...

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27Nov2015

Project: Monitoring Serbia’s OSCE Chairmanship

Serbia’s Human Dimension Commitments and the OSCE chairmanship

   Public Policy Research Centre, as a  member of the Coalition of civil society organizations (CSOs) for monitoring of Serbia’s fulfillment of OSCE Human Dimension commitments, has been following  the development with regard to the implementation of these OSCE standards in Serbia. On Friday, November 27th, 2015 in Media Centre, the Coalition presented key points from the reports on situation with the freedom of assembly, elections, rights of Roma and gender equality, freedom of expression, protection of human rights defenders and position of national minorities in Serbia. Additionally, it also announced the OSCE Parallel Civil Society Conference...

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26Nov2015

Cooperation between civil society organizations and local self governments in implementation of Roma inclusion policies – experiences and practices

OSCE Mission to Serbia, within the project “We are here together – European support for Roma inclusion” organized the conference “Cooperation between civil society organizations and local self governments in implementation of Roma inclusion policies – experiences and practices” on November 26th in Belgrade. Suzana Paunovic stressed that the Office for human and minority rights has taken the coordination of competent ministries, local self governments, civil society organizations and underlined support of project team OSCE Mission and donor the Delegation of European Union in Republic of Serbia. Project consists of six components: access to rights,...

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25Nov2015

Project: Monitoring Serbia’s OSCE Chairmanship

Activities of civil society organizations and Serbian OSCE chairmanship

Public Policy Research Centre, member of Coalition of civil society organizations (CSOs) participated in monitoring of country’s fulfillment of commitments in the human rights field. On Friday, November 27th, at 12.00 in Media Centre, coalition will present its reports on these themes. The Coalition will also announce the OSCE Parallel Civil Society Conference which will take place on the eve of the OSCE Ministerial Council next week in Belgrade. Topics that Serbia chose for the assessment of its fulfillment of OSCE commitments are freedom of assembly, elections, the rights of Roma and gender equality. Topics deemed by the civil society in Serbia as the most important for the...

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25Nov2015

16 days of activism

From 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, to 10 December, Human Rights Day, the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence Campaign is a time to galvanize action to end violence against women and girls around the world. The international campaign originated from the first Women's Global Leadership Institute coordinated by the Center for Women's Global Leadership in 1991, carries PublicPolicyWeekly, an electronic newsletter of the Public Policy Research Center.   The year 2015 marks the 20-year anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the most progressive road map to gender equality. World leaders met...

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24Nov2015

Project: Organizational development grant from the Think Tank Fund

Organizational development grant from the Think Tank Fund

The acknowledgement for the work done so far and a great encouragement for future progress is the grant for organizational development, awarded by Think Tank Fund of the Open Society Foundations. The Thin Tank Fund supports independent policy centers that embrace inclusive policy change via analyses, advocacy and engagement with a wide range of stakeholders. In the forthcoming year, CENTRE will be in position to improve substantially its capacities, the quality of its research, and its impact.

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20Nov2015

Migrants in Serbia: from PR opportunity to security threat

The comment of the CENTRE’s director about change of perception on security of citizens in Serbia after the escalation of ‘migrant crisis’ and terrorist attacks in Paris has been published in the latest edition of NIN news-magazine. Svetlana Djurdjevic Lukic emphasized the importance of continuation for care on everyday problems of citizens and cooperation with minority communities in areas of border crossing points in Serbia. The bad news is that the solution for migrant crisis and terrorism is nowhere on sight, but the good one is that the possibilities for terrorist attack in this context in Serbia are minimal. The article is available on NIN website.

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18Nov2015

Project: Targeting weapons - misuse of weapons in Serbia

EU support of SEESAC disarmament and arms control activities in South East Europe (EUSAC)

The European Union entrusted SEESAC with the implementation of a series of region-wide activities in the period 2014 – 2016 through EU COUNCIL DECISION 2013/730/CFSP. The regional course is part of Component 1 of the resulting EUSAC Project (EU Support of SEESAC Disarmament and Arms Control Activities in South East Europe) which is an integral part of the SEESAC SALW Control portfolio, reports PublicPolicySerbiaWeekly, Centre's weekly newsletter in English.    EUSAC marks a continuation of the trust placed in SEESAC by the EU since 2002. The Union previously supported SEESAC through Council Decision 2002/842/CFSP, extended and amended by Council Decisions...

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18Nov2015

Project: National HDR 2016: How to improve security of vulnerable municipalities in Serbia?

Novi Pazar Acts Preventively to Minimize Torrential Floods

For years Novi Pazar and surrounding local communities are struggling with torrents, occasional earthquakes, landslides, forest fires, and snowfalls in mountain areas, indicated representatives of Emergency Situations Headquarter of the local self-government and civil society organizations at focus groups held on November 18th in Novi Pazar. As a response to identified natural disaster risks, actors in the local DRR system have invested considerable efforts in developing solid preventive measures to above-mentioned risks, but notably into torrents protection system. According to focus groups participants much of the preventive efforts have been put into construction of dams and cleaning...

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13Nov2015

Project: National HDR 2016: How to improve security of vulnerable municipalities in Serbia?

Kraljevo – Development of Civil Protection as a measure to increase local resilience to natural disasters

As a reaction to previous natural hazards – earthquake, floods, and landslides - a city of Kraljevo was developing various models of planning, protection and response to natural disasters. Yet, according to participants of the focus groups held in Kraljevo on 12th and 13th November 2015, contextually shaped model of Civil Protection that has been developed recently in Kraljevo, represents systemic response in increasing resilience to natural disaster risks in this local community. This said, the developed network of civil protection commissioners trained to be prepared and mobilize the citizens in times of crisis, proved to be successful model of local response to crisis during 2014...

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10Nov2015

Project: Youth and Democratic Control of Security Sector

Conference „Local committees for security“

OSCE Mission to Serbia, Ministry of Interior and association of Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities organized the conference „Local committees for security“, on 10th of November in Sava Center.  Minister of Interior dr Nebojsa Stefanovic invited the representatives of towns and municipalities to establish the local committees for security in cooperation with police and he reminded the participants that the Action plan for the implementation of Community policing Strategy was adopted last year. Minister of Public administration and local self government highlighted the importance of establishment of local committees for security aimed to identification and...

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03Nov2015

Project: National HDR 2016: How to improve security of vulnerable municipalities in Serbia?

Novi Sad – A City Prepared to Natural Disaster Risks

As a result of strong preventive measures that have been put in place, Novi Sad has not been directly endangered during the May 2014 floods in Serbia. The city's main role in these times was to support municipalities severely affected by the floods in Serbia and in the region. The discussion in the focus groups in Novi Sad was organized at the end of Octobar as a part of the National Human Development Report (NHDR) that addresses the issues of local community resilience to natural disaster risks. The Center is preparing the NHDR for the United Nationas Development Programme (UNDP) in cooperation with the Serbian Government. Together with its citizens local self-government has been...

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02Nov2015

Project: Youth and Democratic Control of Security Sector

Round table Youth’s Local Security Issues and Democratic Control of Security Sector in Zrenjanin

Public Policy Research Center, support by OSCE Mission to Serbia, organized round table   “Youths Local Security Issues and Democratic Control of Security Sector”, on  November 2nd in Zrenjanin in order to the exchange experiences with other municipalities within the project – Pozarevac and Cacak. Miroslav Kragic, the representative of OSCE Mission to Serbia welcomed the participants in opening session. Svetlana Đurdjević Lukić, Director of Public Policy Research Center, presented the outcomes of research. Duško Radišić, the Assistant of City Mayor of Zrenjanin, Gordan Bojković, the Assistant of City Mayor of Pozarevac and Aleksandar...

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30Oct2015

Project: Targeting weapons - misuse of weapons in Serbia

Conference “Arms transfer control achievements”

State Secretary of the Ministry of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications of the Republic of Serbia Stevan Nikcevic, U.N. Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative Irena Vojackova Sollorano and Norwegian Defense Attaché to Serbia CDR S.G. Tore Andersson opened the public Presentation of Arms Transfers Controls Achievements in the Western Balkans on 30 October 2015 in Belgrade. The event was an opportunity to take stock of the achievements of the UNDP SEESAC Arms Transfers Control Programme in the Western Balkans, generously supported by Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Norway. The programme worked for over 9 years with the relevant...

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30Oct2015

MOVE. LINK. ENGAGE. – First Regional Annual Conference held in Belgrade

The first Regional Annual Conference, “Move. Link. Engage. – Citizens’ participation in the decision-making within the EU integration process”, which was held in Belgrade on October 30, 2015, addressed the need for deeper involvement of the citizens from the Western Balkans (WB) countries in the European Union (EU) Enlargement Policy and EU-oriented reforms. The Conference gathered the key representatives of civil society and partner institutions/foundations, government officials from all Western Balkans countries (including Croatia as an EU Member State), as well as representatives of EU institutions, particularly...

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23Oct2015

Project: Towards efficient policies on local level - budget line 481 for NGOs

How to ensure that that the funds from the budget line 481 are allocated to the real needs of the citizens

On 23rd October in Pirot, Serbia, the Centre for Development of Non-Profit Sector and the Centre for Public Policy Research organized a round table titled "Towards more effective budgetary policies at the local level - budget line 481”. The round table was based on their research on the use of public funds in Serbia, supported by BCSDN through the Balkan Public Policy Fund. According to the research, only small part of the money actually goes to CSOs, contrary to popular belief. From the budget line 481 - Grants for NGOs, only 39% on national level is allocated to civil society, while 30% go to sports club, 18% to political parties, and 12% to religious associations, with the...

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23Oct2015

Project: National HDR 2016: How to improve security of vulnerable municipalities in Serbia?

Resilience of Local Communities to Natural Disasters

What are the ways in which preventive measures impact resilience of local communities to respond to natural disasters? How do existing capacities of local self-governments and civil society organizations contribute to adequate risk assessment? What are the challenges and advantages of local communities to respond to natural disaster risks? These and other topics were discussed with the representatives of local self-governments’ Headquarters for emergency situations and civil society organizations in Loznica, Mali Zvornik, Sid, Smederevska Palanka, and Nova Crnja. As a part of the NHDR research focus groups were held from 15th to 22nd October 2015 in these local communities. Focus...

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16Oct2015

Approving of Action Plan and the completion of preparations for opening negotiations on Chapter 24 (Justice, freedom and security)

At the meeting held on 16 October 2015, meeting participants were addressed by Tanja Miščević, Head of the negotiating team for negotiations on the of the Negotiating Group on justice, freedom and security. Miščević said that she expects that after the European Commission, the EU member states will approve Action Plan for Chapter 24 and submit proposals for negotiating positions. Speaking of further involvement of the CSOs in negotiating process, Miščević pointed out that guideline for involving civil society already has been prepared and that is expected to be approvedby Serbian Government. Mr Nikolić highlighted that, unlikely of previous, this Action Plan contains...

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15Oct2015

Project: Formal and informal networks in rural areas

Forum about competitiveness, investment and well-being in rural regions of South East Europe

Traditionally, 15th Agricultural Policy Forum (APF) ‘’Modern rural policy: Competitiveness, investment and well-being in rural regions of South East Europe’’, was held, from 14th to 15th of October,in Pravetz, Bulgaria. Co-organizers of Forum were Regional Rural Development Standing Working Group (SWG) in SEE and the Ministry of Agriculture and Food, Republic of Bulgaria. Implementation of the EU agricultural and rural development policies for the period 2014-2020 and the reflection towards the countries of SEE, with special focus to innovation and sustainable growth, regional networking of private companies at regional/international markets and area based...

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14Oct2015

Project: Mapping (Non)Discrimination Discourse in Military Education

Gender equality in defense system

Accomplishments in the area of gender equality in defense system and current trends in this area were the core topic of two days conference, hosted by Strategic Research Institute of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Serbiaand held on 13 and 14 October in Belgrade. Eminent civil and military experts from Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Austria, Hungary, Germany, Norway and Spain as well the representatives of international organizations and academic institutionswere among key speakers. At the opening session Assoc. Prof. DrJovanka Šaranović, Director of Strategic Research Institute, Major General Prof. Dr. Mladen Vuruna, Rector of the University of...

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10Oct2015

Project: Youth and Democratic Control of Security Sector

Conference Support of civil society organizations in participation of security sector reform: lessons learned

The conference on contribution of civil society organizations in security sector reform was organized by Democratization Department within the OSCE Mission to Serbia in Nis from 8th to 10th October. The three days conference was attended by the representatives of OSCE Mission to Serbia, Office for cooperation with civil society, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Interiors, and civil society organizations whose projects have been funded through the program implemented by OSCE Mission to Serbia, and funded by Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency.  During the project period (2010- 2015), OSCE Mission to Serbia supported around 25 projects focused on security sector reform...

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08Oct2015

Conference „Support of civil society organizations in participation of security sector reform: lessons learned“

The conference on contribution of civil society organizations in security sector reform will be  organized by OSCE Mission to Serbia in Nis from 8th to 10th October. The specific accent is given to participation of civil society  organizations in drafting of security policies and lessons they have learned in the implementation of the projects focused on gender based violence and gender equality, youth security, vulnerable groups and in emergency situations.   Public Policy Research Center will be represented by Marija Stankovic, Junior Coordinator in CENTER. She will present the CENTER's previous projects funded by OSCE: Vulnerable Groups And Security Sector...

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05Oct2015

Project: Monitoring Serbia’s OSCE Chairmanship

Novinarenje about human rights and democracy

Director of the CENTER was a guest at Radio Belgrade programme in ‘’Novinarenje’’ talk show. She was speaking about the annual human dimension implementation meeting organized by OSCE and held from September 22th to October 2nd in Warsaw where she was one of the experts at the panel discussion “Extinguishing the Flame of Propaganda with Media Freedom and Pluralism” and Self-assessment of implementation of human dimension commitments in Serbia. According to selection of Public policy center for monitoring of Serbia’s OSCE Chairmanship, she was talking about challenges and commitments of Serbia’s OSCE Chairmanship,...

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02Oct2015

Project: Monitoring Serbia’s OSCE Chairmanship

The inconsistent implementation of OSCE human dimension commitments

The OSCE annual human dimension implementation meeting on human rights and democratization, dedicated to assessment of commitments within human dimension was held in Warsaw, from 21st September to 2nd October, 2015. Human dimension refers on comprehensive understanding of security issue, which includes protection and promotion of human rights and democratic process, i.e. “the third basket” of the OSCE. The discussions of governmental and non-governmental actors about the implementation of the OSCE commitments were organized in 20 sessions, plenary or working, as well as on numerous side events dedicated to the pressing issues, and other...

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22Sep2015

Project: Targeting weapons - misuse of weapons in Serbia

EU weapons may have ended up in the hands of ISIS and terrorists in Europe

The European Parliament discussed this week the EU arms industry and export policy. The topic has received new urgency following negligent reporting by individual member states. Some countries are not always clear on where their arms export go. What makes the matter more worrisome is that the weapons may end up in the hands of terrorist organizations. EU member states are major global arms exporters, accounting for about 38 billion euro in exports in 2013, thereof 73 percent to non-EU countries. Germany, France, United Kingdom and Italy are the biggest exporters. The world arms trade is dominated by the US and Russia, which together accounted for 58 % of total exports in 2010...

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21Sep2015

Project: Monitoring Serbia’s OSCE Chairmanship

Media freedom and pluralism against hate speech and war propaganda

Experts from the OSCE participating states and OSCE Institutions, human rights and pro-democracy groups, and others will discuss the implications of recently implemented counter-propaganda initiatives, in particular those relating to hate speech and incitement to war, at the panel discussion “Extinguishing the Flame of Propaganda with Media Freedom and Pluralism”, which takes place in Warsaw on September 22. The discussion is a side event at The Human Dimension Implementation Meeting (HDIM) of OSCE participating States, the Europe's largest annual human rights and democracy conference. Speakers at the panel discussion are:  Svetlana Djurdjevic-Lukic...

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14Sep2015

The youth don’t know where to search for jobs

According to the 2013 official data of the Statistical Office of Serbia, 49, 4% of young people are unemployed. Unemployment, low life standard and lack of perspective are the greatest concern of youth, particularly in Serbia inland. For these reasons, young men and women often decide to leave the hometown or country. Yet, a high number of youth lacks information about how to search for jobs in their hometowns. According to the survey conducted by the Youth Office in Leskovac, youth don’t even know where the National Employment Service (NES) branch office is, nor that the Office can provide advice to high school graduates or students how to find a job. Great number of youth is not...

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12Sep2015

Project: National HDR 2016: How to improve security of vulnerable municipalities in Serbia?

Additional 70 million Euros from the EU for Serbian renewal after 2014 floods

European Union will finance renewal and construction of devastated houses in the aftermath of the 2014 floods with 10 million Euros. This is the first tranche out of the total 70 million allocated for the assistance to Serbia in the next phase. Until now, EU has financed the renewal and construction of more than 1000 houses in floods affected areas. During his visit to Negotin, the Head of the EU Delegation in Serbia, Michael Davenport, underlined that the EU in Serbia is committed to recovery of floods affected areas but noted that the investment in prevention is equally important. “One Euro invested in the prevention is equal to seven Euros invested in the recovery”, he...

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09Sep2015

Project: Mapping (Non)Discrimination Discourse in Military Education

Implementation and impact measurement of the National Action Plan of UN SC Resolution 1325 ‘’Women, peace and security’’.

The impact of the National Action Plan for implementation of UN SC Resolution 1325 in period 2010-2015, its measurement and priorities for the forthcoming period, were the issues discussed at two days workshop organized by OSCE Mission in Serbia and the Institute for Inclusive Security from Washington, D.C.. Opening remarks were given by presidents of key governmental bodies in this area: Zorana Mihajlović, Deputy Prime Minister and President of Gender Equality Coordination Body; president of Political Council for NAP 1325 Zoran Djordjevic, State Secretary in Ministry of Defense; and Tatjana Santrac, President of Multi-sectoral Coordination Body for NAP 1325, Advisor of Ministry of...

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09Sep2015

Project: Support to the Women Police Officers Network in South East Europe (WPON)

Three Young Women Best in Class at Military Academy

For the first time in the history of the Serbian army three young women are the best in the class at the Military Academy, the Minister of Defence Bratislav Gasic said on Wednesday. “If there is something the Serbian Army (VS) and the Ministry of Defence are proud of, then it is our military education system, we are proud of our Military Medical Academy (VMA), and of the fact that for the first time in the history of the Serbian army three young women are the best in the class,” Gasic said. The minister added that everything was ready for the promotion of younger officers on Saturday, September 12.

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04Sep2015

Project: Monitoring Serbia’s OSCE Chairmanship

Radicalization of youth and countering violent extremism in focus of OSCE Chairmanship conference of Youth Ambassadors in Belgrade

Best ways to tackle the radicalization of youth were the focus of a two-day conference hosted by Serbia’s OSCE Chairmanship, which concluded in Belgrade today and gathered representatives of Youth Ambassadors, OSCE structures and NGO sector. “We must continue to foster discussions on combating radicalization using the potentials of the OSCE, including its cross-dimensional approach to security threats,” Roksanda Ninčić, Serbia’s State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said, adding that she was encouraged by the engagement of young people and the OSCE Youth Ambassadors Network. “I am convinced that we have chosen the right path when we...

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01Sep2015

Public Policy Centre will be part of CEU Roma Placement Program

   CENTAR has been selected among think-tanks and NGOs from Serbia and Macedonia, for a host organization and support of Roma Placement Program launched by Central-European University (CEU) from Budapest, financed by National Endowment for Democracy (NED). As a part of that programme, Marija Stankovic will be a Junior Fellow and engaged in programme support and research assistance within CENTRE. Marija graduated at the Faculty of Sciences in Novi Sad, and she gained experience as intern in Delegation of European Union and in the Office for Cooperation with Civil Society Serbia. She commenced her career as a volunteer in leading NGO’s in Serbia. 

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30Aug2015

Project: Targeting weapons - misuse of weapons in Serbia

Only one in a hundred illegal pistols is legalized

“Vecernje Novosti”, a Serbian high circulation daily, in its Sunday edition, published a feature about the results of recent action of illegal small arms and light weapons collection / legalization of firearms which are allowed for the possession by civilians according the law. The article highlighted the fact that Serbian Ministry of Interior in February 2015 estimated there between 200.000 and 900.000 pieces of small arms and light weapons were illegally possessed, while  7 500 pieces were surrendered or legalized during the three months amnesty campaign. That means that in the best case, only each 30th piece was legalized, while in the worst that was each 120th....

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27Aug2015

Civil Society to Be an Additional Important Element of the Berlin Process

One year after the Berlin Western Balkans Summit, the heads of government, foreign ministers and economic ministers of WB countries met on 27th August for the 2nd Summit Meeting on the Western Balkans in the framework of the ‘Berlin Process’ to show further political commitment to the future enlargement of the European Union towards the Western Balkans. For the first time, the participating states have welcomed the holding of a civil society segment in the Margins of the Summit and the substantial civil society contributions made on the Summit’s main topics in the Final Summit Declaration. Considering civil society as a voice which needs to be nurtured and present in the...

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26Aug2015

Western Balkans Summit Vienna 2015 – Civil Society Forum

Socio-economic and political reforms remain key for the successful European integration of the Western Balkans. This process can only be successful with the broad and comprehensive inclusion of civil society. The Civil Society Forum of the Western Balkans Summit Vienna 2015 constitutes one venue for civil society to articulate recommendations, and make suggestion and be a critical and competent voice at the series of Western Balkans summits that began in Berlin in 2014 and continues in Vienna in 2015 and Paris in 2016. Three themes have been identified as key areas of social concern: Building a culture of regional cooperation Freedom of expression Creation of jobs and prosperity...

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24Aug2015

Project: Targeting weapons - misuse of weapons in Serbia

Serbia supports implementation of Arms Trade Treaty

Serbia fully supports the Arms Trade Treaty and is actively working on national institutional modalities that will enable its successful implementation, Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic said on Monday at the First Conference of States Parties to the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), taking place in Cancun, Mexico, the electronic media reported. The treaty was ratified by Serbia on October 29, 2014, two months before it entered into force. "We have adopted a new law on the export and import of weapons and military equipment and the law on the export and import of dual-use goods in accordance with the criteria and principles defined by the treaty," said Dacic. The draft law on international...

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16Aug2015

Project: Monitoring Serbia’s OSCE Chairmanship

How Some Organizations Are Trying To Keep Journalists Out Of The Crosshairs

Those in power have realized that killing journalists is a surefire way to grab headlines. Attacks on media personnel is an increasingly common way “to send a message to the journalistic community and the broader public about where the red lines are and to really repress and suppress any sort of independent reporting or analytical commentary,” Courtney Radsch of the Committee to Protect Journalists CPJ said in an interview. From the gruesome beheadings of journalists in Syria to the targeted killings of reporters for the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, attacks on media have become increasingly common. Ninety-two journalists and media associates...

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05Aug2015

Public debate on the National Strategy for Development of Civil Society in Serbia

Public debate on the National strategy for Enabling Environment for Development of Civil Society in Serbia 2015 – 2019, organized by the Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self-Government in cooperation with the Office for Cooperation with Civil Society, was held in Nis today. This is the third consecutive discussion on the National Strategy. The discussions were held in Belgrade and Novi Sad, too.   “Government should demonstrate a political will, and define its role and responsibility for the development of civil society” said Branka Andjelkovic, a lead expert and team leader of the project EU support to the Office for Cooperation with Civil Society,...

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03Aug2015

Project: Mapping (Non)Discrimination Discourse in Military Education

SEESAC in the Report "Closing the Gap: An Overview of UNDP Results in Gender Equality in Europe and the CIS"

The report ‘’Closing the Gap: An overview of UNDP results in gender equality in Europe and the CIS‘’ presents some of the key results achieved by UNDP Country Offices in Europe and Central Asia in 2014 in our efforts to eradicate the root causes of gender inequality. The report features SEESAC‘s work in increasing inclusivity in the Western Balkan armed forces.   As part of our Women in the Military Project, SEESAC supported the training and establishment of a regional network of gender trainers from the Armed Forces (AF) and Ministries of Defence (MoD) of the Western Balkans. The trainers aim to mainstream gender equality throughout the Armed...

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31Jul2015

Human Rights and Arms Trade: A new Paradigm?

Centar’s latest policy brief titled “Human Rights and Arms Trade: A new Paradigm?”, problematizes tensions between the state economic gains and the international and European legal human rights criteria.    SUMMARY The new security paradigm – the human security – is a people-centered approach, which aims to shift focus from states and their military apparatuses to the individual citizens and their security concerns.The Arms Trade Treaty, which entered into force on 24 December 2014, has captured some of these concerns into the prohibitions and export assessments criteria for arms trade. Serbia’s new legislation successfully addresses these...

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30Jul2015

Project: Monitoring Serbia’s OSCE Chairmanship

Youth from Albania and Serbia wrap up OSCE-supported Summer School in Tirana on inter-cultural dialogue in the digital era

Some 34 young people from Albania and Serbia today completed a five-day long Summer School in Tirana on inter-cultural dialogue in the digital era, where they discussed and shared experiences and ideas on challenges facing the youth in their countries. Assisted by a team of Albanian and Serbian trainers and experts from the two countries’ Ministries of Youth, the participants focused on the involvement of youth in public and political life, youth policies, the promotion of democratic values and fostering of cross-cultural dialogue, the role of media in inter-cultural dialogue, and ways to challenge prejudices and stereotypes. Albania’s Minister of Social Welfare and Youth...

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27Jul2015

Project: Prevention, Protection and Integration of the Human Trafficking Victims in Serbia

2015 Trafficking in Persons Report: Serbia needs to work harder on combating the trafficking of persons

U.S. Department of State  published 2015 Trafficking in Persons Report, which includes the report about Serbia :  According to the Report issued by the Office to monitor and combat trafficking of persons “Serbia is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor, including domestic servitude and forced begging. Serbian women are subjected to sex trafficking by Serbian criminal groups in Russia, neighboring countries, and throughout Europe, particularly Italy, Germany, and Switzerland. Serbian nationals, particularly men, are subjected to labor trafficking in labor-intensive sectors, such as the...

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20Jul2015

Project: Monitoring Serbia’s OSCE Chairmanship

Freedom of Expression, Media Freedoms and (Self) Censorship in the OSCE Area

Freedom of expression is the subject of numerous controversies within many countries in the OSCE area, affecting not only governance, but the broader society. Various forms of denying or limiting freedom of expression and media freedoms exist in the OSCE region, including jeopardizing freedom of journalists and other media workers but also human rights activists and others who express opinions critical of the authorities. The groups not appreciated or considered unconventional by mainstream opinion too easily fall victim to old and new forms of intolerance, racism and xenophobia. The goal of the conference is to raise awareness on how to best promote and bolster freedom of expression and...

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17Jul2015

Project: Targeting weapons - misuse of weapons in Serbia

Constructive Destructions – Or, that time I philosophized over a manhole cover

Sparks are flying. A distinct smell fills the air. Twisted metal, slowly metamorphosing into liquid. Wheelbarrows of marked guns, the ID tags on them shivering slightly as the wheelbarrow plods over a small bump or a pebble in the dirt ground. Electric saws cut the rifles into manageable pieces. Mixed with other types of firearms, the heap of metal is weighed and then, under the watchful eyes of police officers, metal workers, and other observers, transported into a furnace, ceasing to exist as we know them – threatening, powerful, lethal.   I’m at a gun destruction event somewhere in the Western Balkans. On the outskirts of a small industrial cluster surrounded by flat...

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10Jul2015

Project: Targeting weapons - misuse of weapons in Serbia

Over 2,500 pieces of SALW Destroyed in the Western Balkans to Mark 9 July, the International Gun Destruction Day

Over 2,500 pieces of small arms and light weapons (SALW) have been destroyed in two locations in the Western Balkans marking the International Gun Destruction Day on 9 July, 2015. By organizing national destructions and raising public awareness about the dangers posed by small arms, safety and security is strengthened at home and abroad.   In a destruction event organized by the Kosovo* Police on 9 July 2015 at Shkritorija, Janjevo, over 1,700 pieces of SALW were disposed. Weapons marked for destruction have been confiscated by the Kosovo* Police during their crime investigation work. Montenegro destroyed 857 weapons and 188 pieces of SALW at the smelter in...

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08Jul2015

Project: Prevention, Protection and Integration of the Human Trafficking Victims in Serbia

In pursuit of solutions for the stateless

In pursuit of solutions was the theme of last week’s 2015 UNHCR NGO Consultations, a focus that perfectly captures the motivation behind UNHCR’s #ibelong campaign which seeks to eradicate statelessness within a decade. It also represents a good moment to pause and reflect on how far we have collectively travelled on our journey towards meeting this objective. The statelessness session held during the Consultations provided one such opportunity. The session showcased two country contexts where successful efforts are being made to reduce statelessness, in the Kyrgyz Republic and the Bahamas respectively. It also saw attention drawn to the hugely worrying...

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06Jul2015

Project: Monitoring Serbia’s OSCE Chairmanship

OSCE acts to combat human trafficking along migration routes

Protecting groups vulnerable to human trafficking along migration routes and in destination countries is the focus of the 2015 Alliance conference, where during the next two days leading experts are looking for new ways to assist at-risk migrants.   “This has become an increasingly urgent international issue with serious security implications for the OSCE area and neighbouring regions,” Aleksandar Nikolić, Serbia’s State Secretary of the Interior Ministry, said on Monday. “Serbia’s 2015 OSCE Chairmanship has consequently decided to make this issue one of its priorities, as human trafficking constitutes a grave violation of human rights and an appalling...

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03Jul2015

Project: Prevention, Protection and Integration of the Human Trafficking Victims in Serbia

UNHCR urges Hungary not to amend asylum system in haste

The UN refugee agency says it is "deeply concerned" about a set of proposals to amend Hungary's asylum act that have been put forward this week to the Hungarian parliament for debate. UNHCR has urged the Hungarian government not to rush the process without proper consultations with civil society and the UN refugee agency itself on the legality of the proposals and their consequences for people fleeing war and conflict. "Adoption of these proposals would have devastating implications for thousands of people seeking safety in Hungary," said Montserrat Feixas Vihé, UNHCR's regional representative for Central Europe. "We are asking the Hungarian...

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28Jun2015

Project: Formal and informal networks in rural areas

Workshop on "Producing Policy Relevant Analysis & Writing to Influence Decision Making"

  Within the framework of the Policy Bridging Initiative (PBI), Katarina Staronova, Lucian Ciolan and Eoin Young from the International Centre for Policy Advocacy (ICPA), delivered a three day workshop to the RRPP researchers that are currently involved in the PBI Development Stream programme.     The training took place on 25-27 June 2015 in Belgrade, Serbia and brought together 20 participants from 11 RRPP funded projects.   Member of the CENTAR’s team on the project ‘The impact of socio-economic structure of rural population on success of rural development policy’ and Teaching Assistant at the Faculty of Agriculture, Ružica Papić, took...

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25Jun2015

Project: Formal and informal networks in rural areas

Center's Research: Contribution to more efficient rural development policy

CENTAR. Public Policy Research Centre on June 24 presented the research results within the project “The Impact of Socio-economic Structure of Rural Population on Success of Rural Development Policy”. The findings are result of the regional policy oriented research conducted by the Association of Rural Economists from Macedonia, the Public Policy Research Centre from Serbia, and researchers from Macedonia, Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.   The project is implemented within the Research and Promotion Programme (RRPP) with the financial support of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). Research results show that rural areas of Macedonia, Serbia and...

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15Jun2015

Project: Roma in Serbia: How safe they feel and do they see improvements?

The Special Rapporteur’s Study on Protection of Roma

Comprehensive study of the human rights situation of Roma worldwide, with a particular focus on the phenomenon of anti-Gypsyism   The Report of the Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation of Roma worldwide, with a particular focus on the phenomenon of anti-Gypsyism, will be presented to the Human Rights Council by the Special Rapporteur at its 29th Session, on 15 June 2015. The report provides an overview of the human rights situation of Roma worldwide, applying a minority rights-based approach to the protection and promotion of the rights of Roma, including the protection of their existence; the prevention of violence against Roma; the protection and promotion of Roma...

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12Jun2015

"Foreign Policy of Serbia - Female Seal"

"Foreign Policy of Serbia - Female Seal" is the name of the today’s conference in the National Assembly. The aim is to draw attention to the growing role of women in positions linked to international relations in the civil service, parliament, public agencies, expert organizations and the media. Director of Public Policy Research Centre Svetlana Djurdjevic-Lukic will speak on the panel "The role of civil society in the foreign policy of Serbia". It will address the contribution of expert organizations, the role of NGOs in promoting dialogue and communication with foreign policy partners of Serbia, as well as promoting opportunities for NGOs and the media on...

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12Jun2015

Project: Formal and informal networks in rural areas

Presentation of the research findings on importance of social networks within the context of rural development support

The research findings titled “Importance of Social Networks in the Process of Applying for Rural Development Support” were presented by Ms. Ruzica Papic, teaching assistant at the Faculty of Agriculture, on behalf of the CENTER’s research team (Ruzica Papic, Tatjana Milic) at the VII International Conference “Water & Fish”. These findings are drawn from the research conducted in Serbia within the framework of the regional project “The Impact of Socio-Economic Structure of Rural Population on Success of Rural Development Policy”. The Conference was organized by the Faculty of Agriculture, from 10th to 12th June in Belgrade, and...

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12Jun2015

Project: Targeting weapons - misuse of weapons in Serbia

The Seventh Regional Report on Arms Exports Published

Nearly 300 million euros of arms and military equipment were sold by the Western Balkan countries in 2013, according to the Seventh Regional Report on Arms Exports. The Report revealed that out of the total value of arms export licenses issued in the region– a substantive 1.4 billion euros – only 21.43 percent resulted in arms sales.   The Regional Report on Arms Exports is an annual publication based on export data provided by Albania, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and published by SEESAC. The seventh issue of the Report covers exports of arms and military equipment based on export licenses issued in...

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08Jun2015

Project: Research on family life-satisfaction in Serbia

Conference Action Statement "None of Europe's Children Should be Stateless"

This statement was presented and discussed during the closing session of the ENS conference “None of Europe’s children should be stateless” which was held in Budapest on 2-3 June 2015 and brought together 100 participants from over 30 European countries. Those in attendance included lawyers, academics, and NGOs as well as representatives from government, intergovernmental organisations, ombudspersons, the judiciary, UN Treaty Bodies, the Council of Europe and the European Union. The conclusions below relate to five conference guiding questions, and are intended to help guide joint efforts to end childhood statelessness in Europe.  1. Shaping a research agenda to...

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07Jun2015

Project: Formal and informal networks in rural areas

New issue of the European Network for Rural Development newsletter published

  In new issue of the European Network for Rural Development newsletter find out:   National Rural Networks discuss their action plans Commission Approves Another 24 RDPs OECD Highlights Economic Potential of Rural Areas New Infographics on Organic Food in the EU Public Consultation on Research in Global Food Security CLLD as a Tool for Social Inclusion Fighting Rural Depopulation in Spain Boosting Online Agri-Knowledge Sharing.   Issue June 2015 of the European Network for Rural Development newsletter is available here.  

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29May2015

Project: Targeting weapons - misuse of weapons in Serbia

Firearms misuse: Domestic violence claims more lives than criminal incidents

Contrary to the impression the public may get by reading domestic media, the absolute number of deaths in context of family violence has primacy in relation to criminal showdowns, and a large number of incidents happen among friends and acquaintances, the director of the Public Policy Research Centre Svetlana Djurdjevic-Lukic said. She spoke at the round table organized by the UNDP/The South Eastern and Eastern Europe Clearinghouse for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SEESAC). UNDP/SEESAC commissioned the Public Policy Research Centre to analyse data on SALW related incidents collected via the Targeting Weapons (Oruzje na meti) platform launched by SEESAC in...

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28May2015

Project: Formal and informal networks in rural areas

Presentation of research results at the Annual RRPP Conference 2015

      CENTAR - Public Policy Research Centre takes part at the Regional Research and Promotion Programme (RRPP) Annual Conference "Social, Political and Economic Change in the Western Balkans" in Ohrid 28-29 May 2015.  CENTAR’s associate Ružica Papić, (PhD student and Teaching Assistant at the Faculty of Agriculture University of Belgrade) on this occasion will present results of the research project “The Impact of Socio-economic Structure of Rural Population on Success of Rural Development Policy”. Research findings will be presented at the panel 'Social disparities and Welfare State'.   The project is implemented as a...

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28May2015

NAP achieved good results

Dialogue of the Political Council of the Government of  Serbia with the institutional bodies and mechanisms for gender equality for the implementation of the National Action Plan  (NAP) for the implementation of Resolution 1325 of the Security Council of the United Nations - Women, Peace and Security in the Republic of Serbia (2010-2015), with representatives of civil society, academics and the media, was held on 28 May 2015 in  the „Dom vojske“.   Participants were welcomed by Zoran Djordjevic, president of the Political Council of the Government of Serbia for the implementation of the NAP and the Secretary of State in the Ministry of Defence. Mr...

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27May2015

Project: Targeting weapons - misuse of weapons in Serbia

Center presents analyses of (mis)use of the weapons in Serbia

UNDP/SEESAC commissioned the Centre for Public Policy Research to analyse data on SALW related incidents collected via the Targeting Weapons (Oruzje na meti) platform launched by SEESAC in 2012. The analysis is based on 470 entries gathered mainly through news reports. The analysis, as well as the platform, were supported by European Union funds.The results of the analyses,will be presented at the roundtable on Friday, 29 May 2015 at 10:00h, in the Media Center.    The analysis “Targeting Weapons” done by the Centre’s  team, reveals the tends related to gender-based and family-based violence, and draws conclusions about...

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27May2015

On human dimension during the Helsinki +40 OSCE Parlamentary Assembly Final Seminar

The two-day Helsinki +40 OSCE Parlamentary Assembly Seminar is starting today at the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia. At the event, the Belgrade Center for Political Excellence will present a document on the role of non-governmental sector in the OSCE at the example of Serbia.   The meeting in Belgrade is divided into three thematic panels. Director of the Public Policy Research Centre Svetlana Djurdjevic Lukic will speak at the third panel dedicated to the OSCE Human Dimension, together with MP Gordana Comic and Milan Antonijevic, director of YUCOM. The panel is moderated by Meho Omerovic, MP and member of the Serbian delegation to the OSCE Parliamentary...

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26May2015

Project: Targeting weapons - misuse of weapons in Serbia

Serbia Publishes its 8th Annual Report on the Transfers of Controlled Goods

With SEESAC support, the Ministry of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications of the Republic of Serbia produced their 8th Annual Report on Performed Activities of Export and Import of Arms, Military Equipment and Dual-Use Goods, Arms Brokering and Technical Assistance for the period from 1 January to 31 December 2013. The report provides an overview of the exports and imports of weapons, military equipment and dual-use goods.                                         The report also contains an outline of relevant national legislation in the field of...

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22May2015

Project: Roma in Serbia: How safe they feel and do they see improvements?

Internally Displaced Roma Living in Abject Poverty

About 21,000 internally displaced Roma in Serbia live below poverty line and about 20,000 of them live in inadequate housing, according to a study presented by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on Thursday. Less than one-half of internally displaced Roma own their own housing, while one-third of them live on premises not fit for human tenancy, study author Slobodan Cvejic said. "The study showed that three-fourths of respondents live in less than 15 square meters of housing per member of household, that one-half of them do not have some of the elementary amenities (running water, electricity, sewage, telephone), and that nearly 90 percent of them live in substandard...

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20May2015

Project: Formal and informal networks in rural areas

The very first edition of the new magazine of the ENRD - Rural Connections

  The very first edition of the new magazine of the ENRD - Rural Connections - is now available online. It aims to be the networking magazine for rural development in Europe, making connections between ideas and between people. Rural Connections starts with a “News and Updates” section covering some of the most relevant stories coming out of the European Rural Networks and the EU. The voices of rural development stakeholders are at the heart of each edition of Rural Connections in the section “Rural issues, rural perspectives”. The articles are written by named authors on issues that are important to them and are not limited to shared positions of...

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19May2015

Project: Targeting weapons - misuse of weapons in Serbia

2nd SEEFEN meeting held in Belgrade

The second meeting of the South East Europe Fire Arms Experts (SEEFEN) took place on 19-20 May 2015 in Belgrade. The meeting focused on challenges of multi-sectoral cooperation in countering the illicit flow of firearms, improving regional cooperation and information exchange. UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in the Republic of Serbia H.E. Ms. Irena Vojáčková-Sollorano opened the meeting on 19 May.   “A deeper and more candid regional cooperation is essential to better countering the transnational dimensions of illicit trafficking in firearms”, Ms. Vojáčková-Sollorano told participants in her opening remarks. She...

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12May2015

Project: Prevention, Protection and Integration of the Human Trafficking Victims in Serbia

Supporting safe passage: Europe can and must do more

As the global number of displaced people reaches its highest level since WW II, developed countries must assume their responsibilities and deal with the causes of mass migration, writes Michael Adamson.  Michael Adamson is the CEO of the British Red Cross. This piece is also signed by the leaders of 20 other European Red Cross societies. It is right that so much of the world's attention and sympathy is focused on the victims of the recent earthquake in Nepal. It is also right that we don't lose sight of the other humanitarian crisis that dominated our attention in the days preceding the earthquake - that of migrants drowning in the Mediterranean Sea. Both crises are...

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11May2015

Project: Prevention, Protection and Integration of the Human Trafficking Victims in Serbia

EU to propose mandatory migrant settlement quotas

The European Commission will propose that countries share responsibility for housing thousands of refugees arriving in Europe from across the Mediterranean. According to the Times, President Jean-Claude Juncker on Wednesday (13 May) will propose a "mandatory migrant quota system" under which the EU's 28 member states will share responsibility for migrants during times of emergency, the British newspaper reported. "To ensure a fair and balanced participation of all member states to this common effort... the EU needs a permanent system for sharing the responsibility for large numbers of refugees and asylum seekers among member states," the proposal reads, the...

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10May2015

Project: Formal and informal networks in rural areas

New issue of the European Network for Rural Development newsletter published

  In new issue of the European Network for Rural Development newsletter find out: •    The first meeting of the Rural Networks’ Assembly Subgroup on LEADER/CLLD has highlighted the need for improved capacity building •    New ENRD magazine launched •    European Rural Networks’ Subgroup on Innovation kicks off •    A series of National Rural Parliaments in Eastern Europe •    New EU Digital Single Market – what does it mean for rural areas? •    ENRD Contact Point kicks off ‘Ruralabs’ •    What support for young...

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05May2015

Project: Monitoring Serbia’s OSCE Chairmanship

France passes new surveillance law in wake of Charlie Hebdo attack

The French parliament has overwhelmingly approved sweeping new surveillance powers in the wake of the terrorist attacks in Paris in January that killed 17 people at the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo and a kosher grocery in Paris. The new bill, which allows intelligence agencies to tap phones and emails without seeking permission from a judge, sparked protests from rights groups who claimed it would legalise highly intrusive surveillance methods without guarantees for individual freedom and privacy. Protesters for civil liberties groups launched a last-ditch campaign against the bill under the banner “24 hours before 1984” in reference to George Orwell’s dystopian...

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04May2015

Project: Targeting weapons - misuse of weapons in Serbia

Public Policy Research Centre’s Analysis on firearms misuse featured in the daily “Vecernje Novosti" on Sunday

Vecernje Novosti ("Evening News") in its Sunday edition featured early results of the Public Policy Research Centre’s analysis on weapons misuse in Serbia produced for UNDP’s SEESAC, as part of their project "Targeting Weapons". One of the most popular daily newspapers in Serbia „Večernje novosti“ in its Sunday issue published the feature story related to the consequences of illegal weapons possession in Serbia, titled "2,000,000 guns and bombs in Serbia". The paper quoted the president of the CENTAR Svetlana Djurdjevic Lukic who offered some findings  of the Public Policy Research Centre’ s team analysis of the data...

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01May2015

Project: Monitoring Serbia’s OSCE Chairmanship

Serbia urged to safeguard the human rights of persons with disabilities and displaced Roma

“Serbia needs to take immediate steps to address serious issues relating to the right to legal capacity of persons with intellectual and psychosocial disabilities and their de-institutionalisation in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities by which Serbia is bound” said Nils Muižnieks, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights at the end of his visit to Serbia from 16 to 20 March. “Urgent steps are also needed to ensure that forcibly displaced Roma from Kosovo* have access to adequate housing, quality education and healthcare”. The Commissioner welcomes the strengthening of the domestic legislative and institutional...

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30Apr2015

Project: Formal and informal networks in rural areas

RRPP News: Preliminary Results of the Project "Implementation of the Social Science Research Results in the Policy-Making Process"

  The preliminary results of the project "Implementation of the Social Science Research Results in the Policy-Making Process" conducted within the National Policy Dialogue in Serbia were presented at the Round Table entitled "Ways to Involve Research and Academic Community in the Public Policy Management System in Serbia" on 17 April 2015. The event was organized by the State Secretary for Education, Science and Technological Development in cooperation with the Republic Secretariat for Public Policies of the Government of the Republic Serbia. On that occasion, RRPP Local Coordinator Mr Mihajlo Djukic, discussed the preliminary findings of this project:...

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25Apr2015

Project: Youth and Democratic Control of Security Sector

Youngsters in Zrenjanin concerned about the environmental and economic security

Problems of environmental (water supply and poor quality of water, and pollution) and economic security (a large number of unemployed and companies in bankruptcy) were selected as the most significant security problems among youth in Zrenjanin, during a workshop organized by the Centre for Public Policy Research conducted in this city on 25th of April. Pupils from local secondary schools and local NGO activists emphasized the need for more free activities for young people, also mentioning the problems in the functioning of The Centre for Youth Integration in Zrenjanin and soup kitchens. After the mapping of local security risks, as a part of case study, the participants discussed...

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22Apr2015

Project: Targeting weapons - misuse of weapons in Serbia

Public Policy Research Centre on Radio Belgrade Talasanje on the legalization of weapons

Several findings from the Centre's research "Targeting weapons: misuse of firearms in Serbia" were exclusively presented on Radio Belgrade's show "Talasanje" on April 22. Svetlana Djurdjevic-Lukic, president of the Centre spoke about the causes of firearms proliferation in Serbia, and reasons for vague estimates on illegal weapons ranging from 200,000 to 900,000. She talked about novelties in the Law on Weapons and Ammunition, about her earlier researches on the problems related to firearms in the region and predictions about the success of the current campaign of handing over the illegal weapons and its legalization. UNDP/SEESAC commissioned the Centre...

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22Apr2015

Project: Targeting weapons - misuse of weapons in Serbia

EU and SEESAC Support Serbia’s Legalization Campaign

The Serbian Ministry of Interior, supported by the European Union (EU) through SEESAC, is organizing a country-wide campaign aimed at informing the citizens about the ongoing legalization, and calling on them to register or surrender any weapons that they might be holding illegally. The EU is supporting the implementation of the legalization campaign with the funds secured through the EU Council Decision 2013/730/CFSP in support of SEESAC disarmament and arms control activities in South East Europe.   Serbia passed the new Law on Weapons on February 20 which stipulates that the Minister of Interior can declare legalization at any time. Legalization means that citizens can surrender...

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20Apr2015

Project: Youth and Democratic Control of Security Sector

Čačak part of a project on youth security

Public Policy Research Centre has included city of Čačak within the project related to security issues and democratic control of security sector, and supported by OSCE. The research involves pupils in high schools at the age of 18, as well as members of non-governmental organizations. Marina Tadic, researcher at the Public Policy Research Centre said that at the meeting high school students and NGO activists will talk about their insights about the local security issues, nature of security problems, actors that are involved in solving these problems, or are not participating even if they should. “Within the project, we are visiting three local communities in Serbia in order to...

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17Apr2015

Marina Tadić for the May issue of Međunarodna politika about the impact of water scarcity on the conflicts in the basin of the Euphrates and Tigris

Centre’s researcher Marina Tadic recently published an analyses about the impact of water scarcity on the emergence and dynamics of conflict in the Euphrates-Tigris basin. The analysis was published in the May issue of "Međunarodna politika” (International Politics), one of the oldest journals in Serbia that studies international relations, published by the Belgrade based Institute for International Politics and Economics. The article is based on the Marina’s Master thesis "Water Scarcity as a Source of Conflicts in the Euphrates-Tigris Basin", deffended at the Faculty of Political Sciences in Belgrade in September 2014. Her Master thesis was done under...

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16Apr2015

Project: Monitoring Serbia’s OSCE Chairmanship

Human Rights - OSCE Priority

Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Serbia, Lawyer’s Committee for Human Rights- YUCOM, Humanitarian Law Centre, Forum for Ethnic Relations and Public Policy Research Centre held the first press-conference on the establishment of the Coordination Group of Civil Society Organizations (CSO) for monitoring of Serbia’s chairmanship of the OSCE and its obligations arising from the organization’s human dimension. Every key document of the OSCE, from the Helsinki Act of 1975, highlights the respect of human rights and freedoms as a precondition for peace and stability. Societies founded on the principles of pluralism, democracy and the rule of law guarantee security,...

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15Apr2015

Project: Roma in Serbia: How safe they feel and do they see improvements?

Commissioner for Protection of Equality Nevena Petrusic: State institutions are main discriminators

Number of complaints for discrimination is on a constant rise in Serbia said Commissioner for  Protection of Equality Nevena Petrusic. The largest number of complaints is related to the field of employment, while the state institutions are observed as main discriminators. „Number of complaints is increasing each year. This means that we (as the institution) are much more visible today,  and that citizens do not want to suffer discrimination," said Petrusic on the occasion of submitting the regular annual report to the Serbian parliament's committee on human and minority rights and gender equality.    She specified that during 2014, there were 885 cases...

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15Apr2015

Project: Formal and informal networks in rural areas

New issue of the European Network for Rural Development newsletter published

In new issue of the European Network for Rural Development newsletter find out: Network of social enterprises that enable direct online trade between local food producers and customers is spreading across western Europe Social, labour and educational isolation of citizens in some of Europe’s poorer rural areas Forum for the Future of Agriculture 2015 highlighted the need to build bridges between the farming and environmental communities to achieve sustainable agriculture European milk quotas end Supporting farmer networks EXPO Milano   Issue April 2015 of the European Network for Rural Development newsletter is available here.

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14Apr2015

Project: Monitoring Serbia’s OSCE Chairmanship

Centre's first press conference on its activities during Serbian OSCE Chairmanship

Centre for Public Policy and other four NGOs, members of the CSO Coordination group, involved in monitoring of implementation of OSCE commitments in the human dimension area in Serbia will present its activities at the press conference on April 16. 2015 (Thursday) at 1 pm in Medija Center. Members of the CSO Coordination group are Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Serbia, Lawyers’ Committee for Human Rights – YUCOM, Humanitarian Law Center, Forum for Ethnic Relations and Public Policy Research Centre. The goal of the CSO Coalition is to work with the Serbian Chairmanship and OSCE institutions to address OSCE-wide human dimension issues identified as...

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14Apr2015

Project: Formal and informal networks in rural areas

The female face of farming

Women are the backbone of the rural economy, especially in the developing world. Yet they receive only a fraction of the land, credit, inputs (such as improved seeds and fertilizers), agricultural training and information compared to men. Empowering and investing in rural women has been shown to significantly increase productivity, reduce hunger and malnutrition and improve rural livelihoods. And not only for women, but for everyone.   Why are women so important to agriculture? Women, on average, comprise 43% of the agricultural labour force in developing countries and account for an estimated two-thirds of the world's 600 million poor livestock keepers.  Of those women...

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10Apr2015

Project: Formal and informal networks in rural areas

Western Balkan countries optimistic about aquaculture

Aquaculture has great potential in the Western Balkans, for three reasons: vast expanses of high-quality water resources, close proximity to large markets in the European Union, and skilled yet inexpensive labour. A two-year FAO project concluding this week helped five countries develop their capacity to meet international standards for trade in live fish and other aquatic animals. At a closing workshop in Sarajevo, participants reviewed project outputs and began planning ways of building on the project’s accomplishments. The project – a collaboration of FAO with the agriculture and other ministries of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia,...

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08Apr2015

Project: Inclusion of Roma Women and Men in Security Sector

Serbian Minister of Interior Affairs supports Centre' Project

Serbian Minister of Interior Affairs Nebojsa Stefanovic announced support to young Roma citizens wishing to apply for employment in the police.   Late on Wednesday, Stefanovic conferred with representatives of the Police Officers Association 'European Police Officers of Roma Nationality' concerning integration of members of the Roma minority into the Serbian MUP.   We want to encourage young Roma men and women to apply for positions in the police, the minister said and noted that Roma applicants will get assistance in the preparations for applying to the call by the Centre for Basic Police Training in Sremska Mitrovica.   The Serbian MUP and the Police...

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08Apr2015

Project: Evaluation of Efficiency of the Local Mechanisms of Social Inclusion of Roma

On International Roma Day OSCE Mission to Serbia notes progress made and highlights need for continuing efforts to improve situation of Roma in Serbia

On the occasion of the International Roma Day, the Head of the OSCE Mission to Serbia, Ambassador Peter Burkhard, voiced the need for continued action to improve the situation of members of the Roma community in Serbia and create conditions for the full inclusion of Roma into wider society. “We are witnessing that Roma continue to face obstacles in almost all aspects of everyday life,” said Burkhard. “It is essential that the state authorities, together with Roma representatives and civil society, in partnership with the international community, continue to work jointly on finding realistic and sustainable solutions.” Since the adoption of the 2009 Serbian...

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08Apr2015

Project: Evaluation of Efficiency of the Local Mechanisms of Social Inclusion of Roma

Roma youth as agents for change, new challenges in Ukraine

Discrimination and exclusion still characterize the lives of most Roma and Sinti today, reflected in racist violence, unemployment, poverty, illiteracy and high infant mortality. International Roma Day, April 8, is an opportunity to celebrate the unique culture of Europe’s largest ethnic minority, and to take stock of the challenges, both old and new, they face on a daily basis. The OSCE in 1990 was the first international organization to recognize the “particular problems of Roma [gypsies]” in the context of the proliferation of racial and ethnic hatred, xenophobia, and discrimination. Some of these issues are deeply entrenched in some OSCE participating States. While...

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08Apr2015

Project: Roma in Serbia: How safe they feel and do they see improvements?

Davenport on the occasion of Roma Day: Strengthening of Roma community

Strengthening the Roma community in Serbia and improving the opportunities for their members are high on the agenda of EU-Serbia cooperation, said today Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia Michael Davenport at the opening of “Our City-Our House” photo exhibition on the occasion International Roma Day.   I would say that Roma communities in both Serbia and EU Member States need encouraging success models, and I think that young talented people such as yourselves can show these potentials, said Davenport according to FoNet.   It is up to us to provide young people with opportunity to realise their visions and plans in all areas of life of common people, to enable...

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04Apr2015

Project: Youth and Democratic Control of Security Sector

Youth and Security in Pozarevac

What are the key security issues for young people in Pozarevac and in what way this social group may influence decision making process in security sector and addressing its security issues – these were the main topics of the workshop ‘Youth and Democratic Control of Security Sector’, which was held in Pozarevac on April 4th. Around 20 high school students and local NGO activists took part in this workshop and participated in different interactive activities, such as marking security risks on the map of local community, discussing main terms related to security sector reform and parliamentary oversight, and analyzing involvement of media in the process of democratic...

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03Apr2015

Decentralisation and rural development in Timor-Leste

Timor-Leste’s new Prime Minister, Rui Araujo, has inherited a policy of decentralising the nation’s governance. Given capacity issues, this process is unlikely to bring broader-based rural development to Timor-Leste in the short term. But, if managed effectively, greater decentralisation could have some positive impacts on village-level infrastructure and autonomy. Administrative decentralisation is embedded in Timor-Leste’s Constitution. Recent laws, most notably Decree-Law no. 4/2014 on Administrative Pre-deconcentration, have now provided the legal framework for increased decentralisation to the districts. Under these laws, district managers continue to be appointed...

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03Apr2015

Project: Formal and informal networks in rural areas

Regional project team meeting held in Belgrade

  Within the regional project ‘The impact of socio-economic structure of rural population on success of rural development policy’, project team held a meeting in Belgrade on 2nd and 3rd April.     The project is implemented in the framework of the Regional Research Promotion Programme in the Western Balkans (RRPP) with financial support of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). Leading project partner is the Association of Agricultural Economists of Republic of Macedonia (AAEM), while co-partners are CENTER and individual researchers from the Faculty of Agriculture and Food Science, University of Sarajevo.   At the...

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03Apr2015

Project: Targeting weapons - misuse of weapons in Serbia

EU and SEESAC help Serbia combat illegal weapons

The problem of illicit small arms and light weapons (SALW) in the Western Balkans in general, and Serbia in particular, is a serious one, fueling crime and insecurity and posing a serious constraint on the long-term economic and social development of the country. The estimated numbers of illicit weapons circulating in Serbia alone, which range from 200,000 to 900,000 pieces, speak for themselves. Serbian Parliament passed the new and long-awaited Law on Weapons on 20 February 2015, with a three-month-long legalization campaign declared and initiated on 4 March – ending on 4 June 2015. The aim of the campaign is to decrease the number of illicit weapons by encouraging both their...

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02Apr2015

Project: Evaluation of Efficiency of the Local Mechanisms of Social Inclusion of Roma

Thoughts on Strategic Litigation: Can EU law prevent and reduce Roma statelessness in Europe?

The Court of Justice famous weighed in several years ago on the relevance of EU law to situations where EU citizens are made stateless (Case C-135/08, Rottmann). This has led to discussion, including on this blog, about how EU law might apply more broadly to situations of statelessness in Europe. The purpose of this piece is to continue that discussion and illustrate its urgency by pointing to two realistic examples of Roma statelessness in Europe and speculating about how they could raise Rottmann-like points. In the process, this blog sketches out two potential cases for strategic litigation designed to elicit from the courts a broader view of the role of EU law, and specifically the...

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30Mar2015

Project: Monitoring Serbia’s OSCE Chairmanship

International Conference on "Protecting the safety and integrity of journalists in the OSCE region": NGOs should be involved in the protection of freedom of the press and freedom of expression

International Conference on "Protecting the safety and integrity of journalists in the OSCE region" held from 26th to 27th March in Belgrade was the first theme conference during the  Serbia's presidency of the OSCE. The conference was organized by the Serbian Ministry of Culture and Information and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in cooperation with the Office of the OSCE Office for media freedom. Growth in the number of journalists killed worldwide in 2014 and early 2015, terrorist attacks on the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo and attack in Copenhagen, the growth of violence against women reporters on the internet and  worrying state of journalistic...

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30Mar2015

Project: Targeting weapons - misuse of weapons in Serbia

Regional cooperation key to security in South East Europe

Regional cooperation on combating the illicit proliferation of small arms and light weapons is the way forward, UNDP and EU officials agreed during a roundtable in Brussels, convened by UNDP's SEESAC initiative. The event brought together speakers from the European Commission, European External Action Service, Europol and the government of Croatia to discuss current efforts in tackling the threat posed by illicit proliferation of light weapons. “During 2007 – 2012, we have managed to collect from our citizens over 2,515,000 kilos of explosives, 8000 pieces of weapons, 1000 pieces of explosive devices and 3 million pieces of ammunition”, said Vesna Batistic Kos,...

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26Mar2015

Project: Monitoring Serbia’s OSCE Chairmanship

Protection of safety and integrity of journalists in the OSCE region, in focus of OSCE chairmanship conference in Belgrade

 A conference on the protection of safety and integrity of journalists in the OSCE region is being organized by the Serbian OSCE Chairmanship (Serbia’s Ministry of Culture and Information and Ministry of Foreign Affairs) in co-operation with the Office of OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, from 26 to 27 March in Belgrade. The conference will focus on the implementation of OSCE commitments on the safety of journalists; the situation for journalists after the Charlie Hebdo attack in January 2015, the challenges of violent attacks on the media; the safety of female journalists online; digital security and...

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26Mar2015

Panel discussion “Four years since the beginning of the negotiations: Normalization of relations between Belgrade and Prishtin”

Within the Initiative for monitoring the implementation of the Brussels Agreement “Big Deal” that is realized by Center for Research, Transparency and Accountability (CRTA),  BIRN Kosovo,  Internews Kosova and supported by the British embassies in Belgrade and Priština, CRTA  has organized panel discussion “Four years since the beginning of the negotiations: normalization of relations between Belgrade and Serbia” that took place in hotel Holiday Inn, on March 26th. Dejan Pavićević, Belgrade's officer  for liaison with Priština, Valdet Sadiku, Kosovo liaison officer in Belgrade, Nenad Đurđević, Forum for Ethnic Relations, Pavle...

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25Mar2015

Project: Formal and informal networks in rural areas

Top-class universities from Europe and beyond to act as mentoring institutions to the RRPP-funded projects

  The RRPP Academic Mentoring programme has initiated some remarkable institutional partnerships between top-class universities/research centers from Europe and beyond, and the RRPP research partners.     The following universities and institutes have agreed to provide mentoring quidance for the RRPP-funded projects:     Peace Institute, Slovenia;     Aston University, Birmingham;     Central European University (CEU), Budapest;     University of Graz, Austria;     London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE);     Hertie School of Governance, Berlin;     School of Slavonic and East...

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25Mar2015

Project: Inclusion of Roma Women and Men in Security Sector

Press conference on the project "Inclusion of Roma men and women in the security sector" on March 26th in Niš

On March 26th, in the city of Niš will be held a press conference of the project "Inclusion of Roma men and women in the security sector: Towards a More Passing basic police training". The conference will be held in the hall of The Police Department of Niš, starting at 5pm and will be discussed about the importance of this project for the inclusion of the Roma population, as well as the importance of their greater participation in the composition of the police force in Serbia. The key objective of the project “Inclusion of Roma Women and Men in Security Sector: Towards Greater Enrollment to Basic Police Training” is to increase the representation of...

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25Mar2015

Project: Evaluation of Efficiency of the Local Mechanisms of Social Inclusion of Roma

OSCE and activists discuss challenges of Roma in South East Europe

Improving living standards of Roma and ensuring their full access to social, economic and political life throughout South East Europe was in focus at the 10th Regional Meeting of Focal Points on Roma in OSCE Field Operations, held on March 19. in Sarajevo. The event was hosted by the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina in co-operation with the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and gathered representatives of OSCE field operations in South East Europe. This is one of the news carried by the new issue of the Centre's Newsletter PublicPolicySerbiaWeekly. OSCE and ODIHR representatives also met with several Roma activists from Bosnia and Herzegovina to...

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25Mar2015

Project: Vulnerable Groups And Security Sector Reform: LGBT Case Study

GSA Annual Report on the Status of Human Rights of LGBT Persons for 2014 has been presented

 

Presentation of Annual Report of GSA on the Status of Human Rights of LGBT Persons in Serbia for 2014 took place on Wednesday, March 25th 2015, in the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia. The Report of the GSA was presented by Lazar Pavlović, president of GSA and Mirjana Bogdanović, executive director of GSA. Nebojša Stefanović, Minister of Interior in the Government of the Republic of Serbia and Jadranka Joksimović, Minister without portfolio responsible for European integration in the Government of the Republic of Serbia have also spoken about this subject. Reports from the meeting are available at the Assembly website, and on GSA website.  The...

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24Mar2015

Project: Inclusion of Roma Women and Men in Security Sector

Workshop in Kraljevo

More than 30 Roma women and men from Kraljevo and surrounding communities were present at the fourth in a raw workshop for those interested in the enrollment in the basic police training. The key objective of the project “Inclusion of Roma Women and Men in Security Sector: Towards Greater Enrollment to Basic Police Training” is to increase the representation of the members of the Roma population in the police, in order to strengthen the trust of the population in the work of the Ministry, the security of the Romani population, and increase the level of employment of young Roma women and men. The project leader is the Police Officers Association “European Police...

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23Mar2015

Project: Inclusion of Roma Women and Men in Security Sector

Workshop in Bor

At the police headquarters of Bor was held an one-day workshop introduction of trainees, based on the framework of the project "Inclusion of Roma men and women in the security sector of Serbia", and managed by the Police Association European Romani police. The aim of the project is to prepare for the entrance examination, a job of a police officer in the area of the Bor and Zaječar districts, where there were nearly 40 candidates interested in it.  "I have completed a three-year school for cooks. If I pass the entrance and finish the training, it would be an honor for me, as a Roma, to become a policeman and wearing a Serbian flag on the shoulder", said Ivan...

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21Mar2015

Project: Monitoring Serbia’s OSCE Chairmanship

Values threatened by hate speech must be reinforced, say Heads of European human rights institutions on International Day for Elimination of Racial Discrimination

The most effective way to counter hate speech is to reinforce the values of democracy and human rights that it threatens, the heads of three intergovernmental human rights institutions said today in a joint statement on the eve of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. Michael Georg Link, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), Christian Ahlund, Chair of the Council of Europe’s European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI), and Morten Kjaerum, Director of the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), stressed that hate speech needs to be confronted and condemned directly by counter-speech that shows...

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18Mar2015

Project: Targeting weapons - misuse of weapons in Serbia

Serbia Asks People To Please Stop Throwing Their Grenades In The Garbage

The Serbian government asked people on Tuesday not to dispose of hand grenades and other munitions in the garbage, hoping to minimize accidents as it imposes tighter controls over privately held weapons. Hundreds of thousands of unregistered arms, many stashed away after the wars in the former-Yugoslavia in the 1990s, are estimated to be at large in the country with a population of 7.3 million. That is in addition to over 1 million registered weapons. Parliament passed a law last month setting strict conditions for owning firearms, including medical and psychiatric checks, following a surge in gun-related crime. People can hand weapons into the police under an amnesty that runs until...

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18Mar2015

Project: Support to the Women Police Officers Network in South East Europe (WPON)

From one woman police officer to many: Notes from Sivas

Police work is very demanding and laden with challenges – especially for women, taking into consideration that it is traditionally seen as a ‘man’s job’, writes Verica Golijanin, an inspector from the Federal Police Administration of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as the Chair Elect of the Women Police Officers Network in South East Europe in her blog published in Cetre's newsletter PublicPolicySerbiaWeekly. Regardless of all the obstacles and problems women police officers face daily in their work, they have demonstrated how important their role is, especially when working with victims of rape, family violence, human trafficking, juvenile...

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18Mar2015

Project: Formal and informal networks in rural areas

New issue of the European Network for Rural Development newsletter published

 

In new issue of the European Network for Rural Development newsletter find out: First meeting of EU Rural Networks’ Steering Group, Court of Auditors assesses rural development spending, New assessment of EU legislation costs to farmers, Making the case for agroecology, EU rural data 2014, Evaluating Investment Support measures in RDPs, Inventory of Agricultural Advisory Services in Europe, Analysis of INTERREG rural development projects. Issue March 2015 of the European Network for Rural Development newsletter is available here.

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17Mar2015

Project: Formal and informal networks in rural areas

RRPP Call for Papers: Improving Performance of Public Administration - Current Experiences and Future Perspectives

The Conference is organised by the Think for Europe Network (comprising the European Policy Centre, Belgrade, European Policy Institute, Skopje and Institute Alternative, Podgorica). Conference Themes The conference addresses the experiences and future perspectives in improving performance in the public administration in the European context. Suggested guiding topics for papers include: Evidence-Based Policy Making as a Precondition for Performance of PA: Using evidence in policy formulation, policy monitoring and evaluation, result based on approaches in policy making, evaluation as a tool for organisational learning;   Public Administration, Performance and...

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17Mar2015

Project: Formal and informal networks in rural areas

RRPP News: Policy Brief "Towards Better Prospects for Young Researchers in Social Sciences in Serbia"

As an output within National Policy Dialogue in Serbia, Institute of Economic Sciences published a policy brief entitled “Towards Better Prospects for Young Researchers in Social Sciences in Serbia”. This policy brief outlines the main challenges that young researchers face in relation to:   Status and working conditions in different research organizations and The prospects for graduates willing to come back to Serbia having accomplished studies abroad. Young researchers in social sciences in Serbia point out that there are not enough funds for fieldwork and empirical research. Also, they stress that they are overloaded with various activities which are...

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12Mar2015

Project: Inclusion of Roma Women and Men in Security Sector

Press conference on the project "Inclusion of Roma men and women in the security sector: Towards a more efficient passing the basic police training." 

Today, The Ministry of Internal Affairs held a press conference on the occasion of the start of training for Roma people interested in enrolling in the basic police training as the part of the project "Inclusion of Roma men and women in the security sector: Towards a more efficient passing the basic police training." Insufficient knowledge of Roma candidates at the entrance examinations is one of the key elements of the poor representation of Roma men and women in the Serbian police forces. It is necessary to increase the currently low level their enrollment, in order to help the implementation of the Strategy for community policing, strengthen the confidence of the...

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11Mar2015

Project: Inclusion of Roma Women and Men in Security Sector

Training on admission to basic police training for Roma people in the Basic Police Training Centre in Sremska Kamenica

The fist of six trainings for Roma people interested in enrolling in it was held today in the Centre for Basic police training in Sremska Kamenica. The workshops are the part of the project "Inclusion of Roma men and women in the security sector: Towards a more efficient passing the basic police training." Insufficient knowledge of Roma candidates at the entrance examinations is one of the key elements of the poor representation of Roma men and women in the Serbian police forces. It is necessary to increase the transience in order to help the implementation of the Strategy for community policing, strengthen the confidence of the population in the work of the...

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09Mar2015

Project: Monitoring Serbia’s OSCE Chairmanship

Empowering women, empowering humanity

Imagine a world where each woman and girl can fully exercise her choices, have a say in politics, get an education, receive an income, and live in societies free from violence and discrimination. There is much work to be done to make this world a reality. Every year, International Women’s Day, on March 8, is a time to reflect on the progress made, to call for change and to celebrate the courage and determination of women and girls who have played an extraordinary role in the history of their countries and communities. The OSCE recognizes that the full and equal participation of women and men is key to achieving peace, prosperity and stability. The OSCE aims to provide...

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09Mar2015

SEESAC Publishes a Practical Guide on Addressing Arms Diversions

SEESAC’s tailor-made SALW Knowledge Base has been recently expanded to include a publication focusing on strengthening post-export controls. The report ‘’Addressing the Unauthorized Re-export or Re-Transfer of Arms and Ammunition’’ reviews international guidelines and practices for cases when arms are re-exported or re-transferred from their intended locations or users. Published on February 18, 2015, the comprehensive report analyses both regional and international standards, as well as national policies and practices on re-export and re-transfer controls with particular focus on South Eastern Europe.   The report presents a comprehensive...

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08Mar2015

Gender equality vital for world to fulfill potential, Ban tells thousands at women's march in New York

Thousands of people gathered today in New York to march from United Nations headquarters to Times Square in commemoration of International Women's Day and to demand greater efforts by Governments to achieve gender equality worldwide. Among the many distinguished speakers who addressed marchers, the Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, sounded a call for global action for women. “When you hold back half of our population, we cannot realise 100 per cent of our potential,” he said. “We have to fully respect and use the potential of all of our women.” Mr. Ban praised the commitment of those present to gender equality, saying women had to be “front...

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08Mar2015

Project: Research on family life-satisfaction in Serbia

Women’s voices invaluable to preventing and resolving conflict, says OSCE Chairperson Dačić on International Women’s Day

Women, who make up half of the population, should be actively involved in any changes and solutions that shape and affect their society, including conflict prevention and resolution, said OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Serbia’s Foreign Minister Ivica Dačić, today on the ocassion of International Women’s Day. “Our experience with conflict resolution in the Western Balkans has demonstrated that it is of crucial importance to allow for women's full and equal participation in peace and security matters,” he said. “The inclusion of women increases the likelihood of achieving sustainable peace.” Unfortunately, women are often not seen as...

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06Mar2015

Project: Formal and informal networks in rural areas

Empowering rural women to achieve food and nutrition security

From the Statement by IFAD President at the International Women’s Day 2015 It has been said that women are the backbone of rural societies. Not only do they grow and process food, they make sure their families are well-fed and well-nourished. Too often, however, being the “backbone of society” simply means that rural women are the ones doing the backbreaking work.Too often, women are shut out of decisions that affect their lives, and those of their families. Too often, they cannot access credit and financial services, education and health.   For example, in the education realm we have a mixed picture. In sub-Saharan Africa, although there have been...

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04Mar2015

Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Serbia conducts weapons amnesty and legalization campaign

The Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Serbia conducts weapons amnesty and legalization campaign during next three months, starting from March 4 2015. Weapon owners (individuals and legal entities) can hand in all kinds of weapons and ammunition to the nearest police department or police station without proving the origin of weapons and ammunition, and without legal responsibility for the illicit acquisition and possession of weapons. During the legalization process, individuals and legal entities may register small arms for personal safety (pistols and revolvers), hunting arms (shotguns and rifles) and sports arms (small caliber pistols and revolvers, rifles...

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04Mar2015

Legally Invisible in Serbia

Just outside the front door of their shack in an informal Roma settlement in central Belgrade, Serbia, 15-year-old Deni and his six brothers and sisters gather around their mother and grandmother for a group photograph.  The children goof around with each other, as children naturally do.  A few moments pass, then Deni turns and tells all of them to straighten up for a minute and look at the camera.  The shutter clicks.  Almost immediately everyone returns to their previous activities.  Two of his brothers run back through the muddy street to play with another group of boys near a heap of rubbish.  His five-year-old sister stays close to home and his other...

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03Mar2015

Serbia is 23rd by number of women in parliament

One of important objectives in the work of the Serbian parliament is gender equality and strengthening the role of women in society, Serbian parliament Speaker Maja Gojkovic said at a conference on the role of women in Southeast European politics on Monday. Gojkovic said that in 2000, the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia had 20 women members, and today it has 84, which is more than one third of the total number of Serbia’s parliamentarians. It puts the Serbian parliament ahead of the other parliaments in the region, but also ahead of the parliaments of some EU member states, she said. “Serbia ranks fifth in Europe and holds a high, 23rd place in the...

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03Mar2015

Project: Monitoring Serbia’s OSCE Chairmanship

Parliament's Committee on human and minority rights and gender equality and OSCE Mission to Serbia cooperation

The Serbian parliament's committee on human and minority rights and gender equality and OSCE Mission to Serbia have very successful and intensive cooperation, Chair of the Committee Meho Omerovic and Head of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Democratization Department Jan Lueneburg said on Monday. Omerovic and Lueneburg agreed that cooperation will further improve during Serbia's OSCE chairmanship, the Serbian parliament's press office said. Lueneburg underscored that the committee on human and minority rights and gender equality is one of the most successful committees in the Serbian parliament, saying that the OSCE Mission will...

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03Mar2015

OSCE Mission to Serbia and ODIHR support strengthening women’s role in political and public life

Furthering dialogue between women parliamentarians from South East Europe and paths for advancing women’s participation in political and public life was the focus of the regional conference “Equal and Empowered – Stronger Together”, held on 2-3 March 2015 in Belgrade, Serbia. The conference, organized by the Women’s Parliamentary Network of Serbia, with support by the OSCE Mission to Serbia and the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), brought together over 40 women parliamentarians from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Hungary, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia...

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02Mar2015

U.S. appointed first-ever Special Envoy for the Human Rights of LGBT Persons

On Monday, February 23, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry appointed Randy Berry as the first-ever Special Envoy for the Human Rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Persons worldwide. Special Envoy will significantly advance efforts underway to move towards a world free from violence and discrimination against LGBT persons. Secretary of State, John Kerry, emphasized that United States are committed to advance human rights globally and that Special Envoy reflects resolution to build “capacity to respond rapidly to violence against LGBT persons”. He reiterated that “too often, in too many countries, LGBT persons are threatened, jailed,...

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01Mar2015

Project: Formal and informal networks in rural areas

Regional project team visited Fribourg University

Regional team of the project “The impact of socio-economic structure of rural population to the success of rural development policy” by the end of February visited Fribourg University (Switzerland). On that occasion, for the members of the team, training was organized and, additionally, preliminary research findings were presented and considered. Based on the surveys conducted in Serbia, Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina in November - December 2014, as main challenges in implementation of rural policies in these three countries were identified: low level of awareness among farmers, inconsistency of rural policies and low level of farmers’ trust into institutions....

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27Feb2015

The #idefend campaign - Making sure civil society has its voice

The #idefend campaign is an initiative of the Delegation of the European Union to the UN in Geneva in partnership with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Permanent Missions of Brazil, the Republic of Korea and Tunisia to the UN in Geneva. Every day in every part of the world, NGOs, human rights defenders and other civil society representatives contribute to the promotion, protection and advancement of human rights. They are also an integral part of the UN Human Rights Council, where it is their voices and stories that provide States with essential information on human rights violations. Yet, civil society advocates across the globe, including those...

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27Feb2015

Trafficking migrants – The new “social” business?

The humanitarian tragedy in the Mediterranean Sea where last year more than 3500 people lost their lives is a form of “social” business with huge profits and benefits for those who organise the traffic: if refugees are ready and able to pay between $6000 and $8000 for their passage, one ship load can earn a net profit of more than $1 million. Human trafficking feeds an industry which is informal and is built on the exploitation of the most vulnerable: people fleeing wars in Syria and elsewhere. And, by the way, fleeing the war was also the reason why millions of refugees travelled across Europe during and after the 2nd World War. It may be appropriate to recall this...

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27Feb2015

Regional Steering Group on SALW holds annual meeting

Regional Steering Group (RSG) for Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) held its annual meeting on 27 February 2015, in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). Hosted by the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) and co-chaired by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the meeting gathered national SALW focal points or their representatives from Albania, Bulgaria, BiH, Croatia, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia who presented their 2014 results and 2015 plans, in both the regional and national context. SEESAC’s key partners and representatives of the donor community were also present at the meeting.      ...

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26Feb2015

Project: Formal and informal networks in rural areas

RRPP News: Two research studies on status of young social sciences researchers in Serbia

Two research studies on status of young social sciences researchers in Serbia have been published by Institute of Economic Sciences, Belgrade, within the National Policy Dialogue in Serbia.   Studying Abroad and Coming Back to Serbia The purpose of the study is to review and analyze the problems and challenges that young researchers face when going abroad to study and upon their return to Serbia. The findings indicate that students from Serbia are often forced to mobility, due to low level of investment in scientific research activities and training inability at domestic institutions. The desire to leave is very strong, especially due to poor socio-economic conditions and...

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25Feb2015

CoE Human Rights commissioner reports that 80% of the anti-Muslim acts which occur in France are carried out against women

80% of the anti-Muslim acts which occur in France are carried out against women a new report published last week by Nils Muižnieks, the Council of Europe commissioner for human rights, has revealed. The commissioner, who produced the report after visiting France in September last year, warned of increasing attacks directed at homosexuals, Jews and Muslims and said that there should be more efforts to integrate and care for immigrants and asylum seekers. Muižnieks recommends a national plan to promote and protect human rights as well as ratifying Protocol No. 12 to the European Convention on Human Rights on the general prohibition of discrimination in order to “further...

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25Feb2015

Project: Monitoring Serbia’s OSCE Chairmanship

OSCE and UN: Working together for security

OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Serbia’s First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ivica Dačić told the United Nation Security Council on 24 February 2015 that the OSCE is eager to intensify partnership with the UN. “Partnership between the two organizations is critical for addressing security challenges in the Euro-Atlantic and Eurasian space,” said Dačić. On the situation in Ukraine and its detrimental impact on the broader OSCE agenda, Dačić said that Serbia’s Chairmanship comes during the worst crisis of European security since the end of the Cold War. “Serbia would do its best to contribute to a diplomatic solution in an impartial and...

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23Feb2015

Project: Formal and informal networks in rural areas

February issue of the European Network for Rural Development newsletter published

In new issue of the European Network for Rural Development newsletter find out: Rural Networks Assembly held its first session,  ENRD thematic groups starting their work on a first set of overarching priorities for the 2014-2020 period, The European Commission has approved a further 18 Rural Development Programmes, In focus: Film project on initiatives of young farmers, Fact sheet on EAFRD financial instruments.   February 2015 issue of the European Network for Rural Development newsletter is available here.

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23Feb2015

Documentary film on Serbia’s National Minority Councils released

As part of its long-standing efforts in the area of human rights and non-discrimination, the OSCE Mission to Serbia in co-operation with the Office for Human and Minority Rights of the Government of Serbia, on 23 February 2015 launched their new documentary film Neighbours, which showcases the achievements of National Minority Councils in protecting the rights of persons belonging to national minorities in the country. “This documentary will help both the minority and majority population better understand the National Minority Councils’ role and competencies in the official use of language, education, culture and media,” said Jan Lueneburg, Head of OSCE Mission to...

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22Feb2015

Dacic apologizes to representatives of LGBT population

Serbia's Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic apologized to representatives of the LGBT population for his earlier statement which Commissioner for Protection of Equality Nevena Petrusic described as upsetting and humiliating. “I am sorry that my statement sounded as an insult to the LGBT population. I had no intention of offending anyone,” Dacic told reporters on Saturday after a meeting with representatives of Labris, one of the oldest lesbian human rights organizations in the region, and the commissioner for protection of equality. He thanked the commissioner for having brought to his attention that his words could be interpreted “as a call for legitimization...

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20Feb2015

World Day of Social Justice 2015 Theme: Ending human trafficking and forced labour

Social justice is an underlying principle for peaceful and prosperous coexistence within and among nations. The United Nations uphold the principles of social justice when promote gender equality or the rights of indigenous peoples and migrants. They advance social justice when remove barriers that people face because of gender, age, race, ethnicity, religion, culture or disability. For the United Nations, the pursuit of social justice for all is at the core of our global mission to promote development and human dignity. The adoption by the International Labour Organization of the Declaration on Social Justice for a Fair Globalization is just one recent example of the UN...

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20Feb2015

Story from the United States: Cautionary Lessons on Leading as a Woman in the Military

Several servicewomen share their advice and experiences from their time in the military. The opportunity to lead others — whether a small fire team or an aircraft carrier — is one of the few guarantees of military service. While gender has no impact on the ability to lead, an occupational hazard of being a woman in the military is that your superiors, peers, and subordinates — both men and women — perceive you differently because of their own ingrained biases. Learning how to navigate these biases and perceptions is an inherent challenge to leading as a woman. Rather than speak solely from my own experience, I asked nearly three dozen Navy and Marine...

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18Feb2015

The baby that divided a nation

As 2015 began, a boy was born in Hungary - the country's first baby of the year. But his family who are Roma, or Gypsy as they prefer to be known, found themselves at the centre of a national debate about racism. Outside the Korona Hotel in Mako, a town in southern Hungary famous for its warm weather and its excellent onions, stands the bronze statue of Mihaly Fatyol, a Roma violin virtuoso. He holds his violin lightly in his left hand, the bow in the right, and looks to one side, as though directing the applause of the audience towards the other members of the band: Geza Racz on second violin, his dad Geza on viola, Jozsef Kelecsenyi on the cimbalom - a kind of Hungarian...

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18Feb2015

A new draft law on weapons and ammunition

BELGRADE – A new draft law on weapons and ammunition will make the control of possession and transportation of weapons more efficient, which should in turn diminish weapons abuse of and increase the security of the Serbian citizens, Serbian Interior Minister Nebojsa Stefanovic said Wednesday. Presenting the draft law at an extraordinary parliamentary session, Stefanovic said that legal weapon owners would be permitted to possess weapons and use them for lawful purposes - for hunting, sport, self-defense and collections. Stefanovic told the MPs that the new legislation, which will be aligned with EU directives, would tighten the requirements weapon owners had to meet. In...

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17Feb2015

Project: Formal and informal networks in rural areas

RRPP news: Documentary on young social science researchers in Serbia

The documentary "Young Researchers in Serbia" was prepared by the Working Group on Young Researchers in Serbia within the framework of National Policy Dialogue. It deals with the status and work conditions for young scholars in different research organizations. It also refers to prospects for graduates willing to come back to Serbia having accomplished their studies abroad. Regional Research Promotion Programme in the Western Balkans (RRPP) is aimed at fostering and promoting social sciences research in the Western Balkans. Social science research aids in the understanding of the specific needs for reform and in identifying the long-term implications of...

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12Feb2015

Project: Formal and informal networks in rural areas

Beijing+20: IFAD’s work to empower rural women

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), a specialized agency of the United Nations, building on the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and other important global conventions and commitments, has contributed to reducing poverty and improving the lives of rural women, their families and communities in many ways. The IFAD Gender Plan of Action, Framework for Gender Mainstreaming, and Policy on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment have been developed to ensure gender perspectives are more broadly integrated throughout the organization’s operations.    IFAD acknowledges that there are still a number of...

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11Feb2015

Project: Inclusion of Roma Women and Men in Security Sector

What does a reality show about a Roma class say about the Czech Republic's education system? 

 

We Are All 8A Say what you will about the controversial Czech public television reality show Class 8A, it managed to surprise all the way to its final episode at the end of last year. The beginning of the eight-part series, which took teachers into the toughest school to see if they could make a difference, seemed like an unfortunate experiment that only confirmed for the majority audience its prejudices against Roma. But in the end, viewers came to better understand the world of Roma teenagers, and clichés about the “ineducability” of the children of the ghetto started to drop away. More broadly, the show interestingly touched on the...

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11Feb2015

Project: Monitoring Serbia’s OSCE Chairmanship

OSCE Representative meets Serbian Minister of Culture and Information to discuss OSCE Chairmanship’s work plan on media freedom issues 

OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović met today with Serbian Minister of Culture and Information Ivan Tasovac to discuss the Serbian OSCE Chairmanship’s work plan for media freedom issues. “We had a very constructive meeting and agreed on a number of initiatives on media freedom issues,” Mijatović said. “I am pleased that the Serbian Chairmanship is paying special attention to free media in the OSCE region and journalists’ safety.” Among other things, the Representative and Tasovac agreed on a conference on journalists’ safety to be hosted by the Chairmanship in Belgrade in March. During the meeting...

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09Feb2015

Project: Formal and informal networks in rural areas

Final report of the project "Mainstreaming climate change into rural development policy post 2013" 

The final report of the project “Mainstreaming climate change into rural development policy post 2013” is published. The project aimed to support the mainstreaming of climate change into Rural Development Programmes (RDPs) 2014-2020 by providing Technical Guidance for Member States’ Managing Authorities on the design and integration of new and innovative climate operations. The main body of the report, which summarises the project methodology and key findings, is accompanied by six Annexes which give more detailed guidance and examples. The Technical Guidance includes 25 technical fiches for new and innovative climate actions. Moreover, the project developed...

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09Feb2015

Project: Inclusion of Roma Women and Men in Security Sector

Towards a new strategy for improving the status of Roma

Office for Human and Minority Rights of the Government of the Republic of Serbia and the Standing Conference of Roma civil associations (SKRUG) - League Roma, in cooperation with the Foundation for an Open Society Belgrade, organized a conference ‘Towards a new strategy for improving the status of Roma’ with the aim of identifying common approach to the strategy development. The "Baseline Study for the development of a new Strategy for Roma Inclusion harmonized with the Europe 2020 Strategy'” was presented at the conference revealing reasons goals behind the development of a new strategic document. The strategy for improving the status of Roma in the Republic...

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06Feb2015

Gender Training of Trainers for representatives of MoD and Armed Forces from Western Balkans

  Second generation of  gender trainers from Ministries of Defence (MoDs) and Armed Forces (AF) of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Republic of Serbia have been awarded certificates upon completing their training. The closing ceremony was held on February 5, 2015 at the Peacekeeping Operations Center of the Serbian Armed Forces General Staff.     Organized by SEESAC, together with the Nordic Centre for Gender in Military Operations (NCGM), this two-week NATO accredited course...

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06Feb2015

Project: Monitoring Serbia’s OSCE Chairmanship

OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media: Escalating threats and intimidation of female journalists online must be addressed

Swift action is needed in order to deal with the growing number of attacks on female journalists online, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović said today as she presented a set of recommendations to address the problem. “Today’s digital environment has made journalists more exposed and vulnerable than ever before,” Mijatović said. “During the past year I have become alarmed by the growing number of reports from across the OSCE region and beyond, about female journalists and bloggers being singled out and fiercely attacked in social media”. Research on violence and harassment of women in the news media shows that more than...

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05Feb2015

Project: Formal and informal networks in rural areas

RRPP News: "Why don’t our graduates return to Serbia?" 

The article "Why don’t our graduates return to Serbia?", published in Serbian newspaper "Danas" is written by Nemanja Krstic, a member of a Working Group on Young Researchers. The text discusses the process of diploma recognition as one of the main obstacles for young people who decide to return to Serbia after completing their studies abroad. It is based on the research done within the National Policy Dialogue in Serbia, focused on young researchers. View the article in Serbian: Zašto nam se ne vraćaju mozgovi iz inostranstva. RRPP

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04Feb2015

EU should take action on Pegida racism

Germany’s “anti-Islamisation” Pegida movement is a worrying phenomenon, which is quickly taking on a European dimension. It has brought thousands onto the streets every Monday in German cities since October 2014 and has grown in popularity since the terrorist attacks in Paris on 7 and 9 January. Despite attempts to distance itself from affiliations with far-right groups, it has previously joined forces with neo-Nazi elements. These efforts to conceal its real nature highlight the dangerous tendency of xenophobic and racist movements to try to become more mainstream. In Germany, its two main leaders are linked to far-right groups - one of them was...

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04Feb2015

Project: Monitoring Serbia’s OSCE Chairmanship

Enhancing OSCE efforts to promote tolerance, non-discrimination and dialogue to counter radicalization and extremism

At the initiative of OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier, delegations of OSCE participating States and Partners for Co-operation held an open-ended brainstorming session on ways to strengthen OSCE efforts to promote tolerance, non-discrimination and dialogue and to mobilise its tools and resources to address the growing challenge of violent extremism and radicalization that lead to terrorism. Convened on the occasion of United Nations World Interfaith Harmony Week (2-8 February, 2015), the debate is intended to contribute to preparations for the upcoming OSCE Security Days conference on “Promoting Dialogue to Advance Tolerance and Prevent Radicalization”,...

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02Feb2015

Project: Formal and informal networks in rural areas

Virtual schools in rural New South Wales (Australia) and education of rural youth

The horizon for gifted students living in the bush is widening dramatically, with the opening of the Australia's first virtual specialist school.   Aurora College is a selective school for students living in regional and rural New South Wales. Today, the doors of the college were opened to 160 children from years seven to eleven.   But there's a catch; the school has no doors and its blackboards take the form of a web conference that is accessed by students sitting hundred of kilometres apart.   Principal Christopher Robertson called Aurora College "the school with no walls".   "So instead of attending the physical classroom in...

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30Jan2015

Project: Monitoring Serbia’s OSCE Chairmanship

OSCE Mission to Serbia promotes results of opinion poll on citizens’ perception of the police service

A public survey commissioned by the OSCE Mission to Serbia and the Interior Ministry, on the perception of the police service over the past year indicates that issues such as drug addiction, corruption and organized crime, amongst others, are being perceived by the public as priorities for the police work at the national level. The survey, held for a seventh consecutive year, was conducted in November 2014 and based on a sample of approximately 1,500 citizens throughout Serbia. It touched upon issues which citizens perceive as the main safety concerns and those related to personal security, attitudes and perceptions of police as well as awareness and understanding of police reform....

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28Jan2015

Remembering the Romani Holocaust

On the tenth anniversary of the liberation of the extermination camps in 1955, Primo Levi wrote that “Nowadays it is bad taste to speak of the concentration camps. We risk being accused of victimism: at best of a gratuitous fascination with the macabre, at worst, of pure and simple mendacity, of an outrage to decency.” In response to his detractors, Levi wrote that it is not permissible to forget, nor is it permissible to keep silent.  For many years those who refused to keep silent about the Romani Holocaust, such as Professor Ian Hancock, faced opprobrium, were accused of exaggeration or, just like Levi in an earlier time, of ‘pure and simple...

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27Jan2015

Second Gender Training of Trainers Course for the Armed Forces 

Within the scope of SEESAC’s Gender Equality in the Military project, which aims to support integration of women in the armed forces in the Western Balkans, a two-week long regional Gender Training of Trainers Course (GToT) is beginning on 28 January 2015 at the Peacekeeping Operations Center in Belgrade, Serbia. The GToT is a NATO-accredited course, which prepares instructors and trainers to effectively plan, conduct, and evaluate education and training for troops, units, staff and officers on the gender perspective in military operations. Organized by SEESAC and the Nordic Center for Gender in Military Operations (NCGM), and hosted by the Peacekeeping...

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27Jan2015

Project: Monitoring Serbia’s OSCE Chairmanship

Remembering the Holocaust, fostering tolerance

Remembering the Holocaust is a powerful way for societies to remind themselves of the need to counter anti-Semitism and other forms of intolerance and to protect, promote and defend human rights and fundamental freedoms in today’s world. Many countries observe 27 January, the International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust. This day marks the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau by the Red Army in 1945. In many OSCE participating States, officials and civil society representatives gather to honour Holocaust survivors, to pay tribute to those who rescued Jews and others and to reflect about the lessons of the Holocaust. Governments use these days as...

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26Jan2015

First female Church of England bishop consecrated

The Church of England has consecrated its first female bishop during a ceremony at York Minster. The Reverend Libby Lane, 48, has been ordained as the new Bishop of Stockport in front of more than 1,000 people. The Church formally adopted legislation last November to allow women bishops, following decades of argument over women's ordination. Archbishop of York John Sentamu, who led the service, said he had been "praying and working for this day". During the two-hour service Dr Sentamu and other bishops laid their hands on Mrs Lane and prayed. This was followed by lengthy applause.  A man interrupts the ordination of Libby Lane as bishop, calling...

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22Jan2015

Project: Formal and informal networks in rural areas

The European Commission has adopted the rural development program (IPARD) for Serbia

The European Commission has adopted the rural development program (IPARD) for Serbia on the proposal of the Serbian Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection, which paves the way for the EU support to Serbia's agricultural sector over the next six years. The budget, which totals EUR 175 million, will be at disposal of Serbian farmers in the form of grants for co-financing of certain investments. This should lead to the total investments in this sector of around EUR 400 million (RSD 49 billion), the Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection released in a statement. The main goals of the program are increasing food safety in Serbia, promoting...

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21Jan2015

Havel’s litmus test on Anty-Gypsyism in Europe

Twenty-five years after the fall of communism, it still hasn't sunk in that racism and exclusion is not a ‘Gypsy problem’ but a 'Europe problem'. Back in the early 1990s Vaclav Havel famously called the ‘Gypsy problem’ a litmus test of civil society and described driving out manifestations of intolerance as the biggest challenge of our times. Twenty-five years after the fall of communism, it still hasn't sunk in that racism and exclusion is not a ‘Gypsy problem’ - but it is abundantly clear from developments in 2014 that Europe has failed its ‘litmus test’.  On 25 September 2014, the European Commission, after...

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20Jan2015

Project: Monitoring Serbia’s OSCE Chairmanship

The OSCE Magazine: Security Community

The OSCE Magazine provides expert analysis of top security issues, insight into what’s happening at the OSCE and a forum for exchanging views. In the latest issue (4/2014) magazine brings stories: Ministerial Council in Basel; Meet the Chairperson-in-Office; Waging Peace with Water; Work of the OSCE Mission to Serbia; Measuring success in peace consolidation; ‘Plurilogue’ in Ukraine. Issue 4/2014 is available here. List of Previous issues of the OSCE Magazine: Security Community is available here. 

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20Jan2015

Project: Formal and informal networks in rural areas

New publication of the EC shows how CAP and EU development policies work together

How the CAP works hand in hand with EU development aims? Answer is to be found in the European Commission's new publication "The EU's common agricultural policy - Ensuring the EU's development and agricultural policies evolve together".  The document explains how the EU's agricultural policy meets the EU's commitment to policy coherence for development, which aims to minimise problems for developing countries due to policies. The new publication reflects the importance of agriculture to development throughout this development-focused year. The European Year for Development (2015) will see the culmination of the international...

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19Jan2015

Women’s economic independence: the foundation of all rights 

Did you know that at the current pace of progress, it will take 70 years to close the gender pay gap and 40 years to see equal share of housework in Europe? That women are 4 times more likely than men to work part-time? And that women bear a disproportionate share of tax burdens? Women’s economic independence is of crucial importance to enable women to make real choices in their lives on an equal footing with men and in order to achieve effective gender equality. Women’s real and full economic independence is not yet a reality in any of the EU member states. Persistent gender gaps in employment pay, poverty, pensions and unpaid work, show that women’s economic...

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16Jan2015

Project: Prevention, Protection and Integration of the Human Trafficking Victims in Serbia

West Yorkshire Police has set up team of detectives  to combat human trafficking

The Human Trafficking Unit is now becoming operational and will target organised crime lords seeking to traffic people into West Yorkshire. It has been formed as part of a range of initiatives in West Yorkshire to combat trafficking, and will be led by a detective inspector and staffed by specialist detectives and investigators who have all received training in investigating human trafficking. The unit is believed to be only the third of its kind in the country and has been set up as part of West Yorkshire's Serious and Organised Crime Unit to investigate the most complex criminal cases. It will be complemented by the West Yorkshire Anti Trafficking Network, with...

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15Jan2015

Project: Monitoring Serbia’s OSCE Chairmanship

OSCE participating States issue Declaration condemning terrorist attacks in France and supporting freedom of expression and tolerance 

/p> VIENNA – The OSCE’S 57 participating States today, at the first meeting of the Permanent Council of the year, adopted a declaration condemning last week’s terrorist attacks in France, emphasizing that terrorism can never be justified, that freedom of expression is a fundamental human right, and that States continue to work to foster tolerance in their societies. Participating States expressed their “profound solidarity with victims of acts of terrorism, their families, as well as with the people of France” and stressed “the need to prosecute the perpetrators.” “Terrorism has no justification, whatever its motivation or...

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14Jan2015

Better protection for victims of violence anywhere in the EU

As of this Sunday, victims of violence - notably those who have suffered domestic violence or stalking – will be able to guarantee themselves better protection in any EU Member State. The new rules mean that restraining, protection and barring orders issued in one Member State are now quickly and easily recognisable across the EU through simple certification. "Rights of the victims of violence will now be guaranteed outside their own country too, wherever they are in Europe", said Věra Jourová, the EU's Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality. "In the EU, an estimated one in three women face violence at some point in their...

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14Jan2015

Project: Formal and informal networks in rural areas

EFSE and Banca Intesa join forces to finance development in rural Serbia 

EUR 10 million loan to finance agricultural production in underdeveloped areas Frankfurt and Belgrade - The European Fund for Southeast Europe (EFSE) and Banca Intesa have signed a EUR 10 million senior loan agreement to support economic development in rural Serbia, including those areas severely hit by floods last year. The funding will primarily be used to finance new agricultural equipment acquisitions and mechanisation. “Serbia’s agricultural sector accounts for over 10% of the country’s GDP and has been severely hit by floods last spring. Together with our longstanding partner Banca Intesa we aim to make a significant contribution towards...

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14Jan2015

Serbian transgender army officer was forced to retire, says rights group

Activists say veteran major was discriminated against after her transgender identity was deemed a threat to army’s reputation. A rights group has accused Serbia’s defence ministry of discrimination over the forced retirement of a veteran officer whose transgender identity was deemed a threat to the reputation of the army. The Balkan country, which aspires to one day join the European Union, is under pressure to promote greater tolerance for minorities within a strongly conservative society. Egal, an activist group, submitted a complaint to Serbia’s commissioner for the protection of equality on Wednesday over the retirement in October of a transgender army...

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13Jan2015

Project: Formal and informal networks in rural areas

New issue of the European Network for Rural Development newsletter published

In new issue of the European Network for Rural Development newsletter find out: Which Rural Development Programmes for the period 2014-2020 ahve been approved by the EC? Why has EU launched Rural Networks Assembly? Good rural development practices in Italy The priorities of the EU Common Agricultural Policy 2014-2020 EU members signed agreements with the EC to improve strategic use of EU funds   January 2015 issue of the European Network for Rural Development newsletter is available here.

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12Jan2015

Project: Monitoring Serbia’s OSCE Chairmanship

Professor Ivo Viskovic confirmed as a member of Panel on European Security as a Common Project

BELGRADE, 12 January 2015 - Ivica Dačić, Serbian Foreign Minister and OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, and his Troika partners Didier Burkhalter and Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the respective foreign ministers of Switzerland and Germany, announced today that the composition of the Panel of Eminent Persons on European Security as a Common Project was now established. They expressed their appreciation for the commitment and engagement of the 15 distinguished individuals who have accepted their invitation to sit on the Panel. They also thanked Ambassador Wolfgang Ischinger for agreeing to chair the Panel. The Panel was launched on the initiative of the 2014 Swiss OSCE Chairmanship in close...

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11Jan2015

Project: Prevention, Protection and Integration of the Human Trafficking Victims in Serbia

Moving beyond popular representations of trafficking and slavery

Beyond Trafficking and Slavery editors introduce their first themed issue, which explores how slavery and trafficking have been represented—by public officials, activists, and numerous others—together with the frequently troubling consequences that these popular representations have had upon policy and practice. Information and communication are fundamental to political and social activism. Modern activists expend a great deal of time and energy trying to get their message out, using numerous strategies in an effort to attract the interest of the media, governments, corporations, international organisations, and the public at large. Recent work by Clifford Bob and...

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08Jan2015

Project: Formal and informal networks in rural areas

A rural training organisation in Australia is working to reduce high youth unemployment in regional areas 

A Queensland-based rural training organisation is urging beef industry employers to give young workers a chance, in a bid to reduce high youth unemployment in regional areas.   Job creation is a key issue for many Queenslanders in the lead-up to the state election, with youth unemployment reaching 20 per cent in some communities, during the past year.    Russell Toohey manages Rural Industry Training and Extension Ltd (RITE) in Charters Towers; a not-for-profit organisation catering to the needs of the northern cattle industry. He says although graziers have been hit hard by drought in recent times, there's still plenty of work available in the sector....

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08Jan2015

Project: Monitoring Serbia’s OSCE Chairmanship

OSCE  on freedom of expression and freedom of the media as a vital condition for tolerance and non-discrimination

Dunja Mijatović, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, has stated that the horrific terrorist attack on the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, in which 12 people were murdered and several people wounded, is the worst single attack against journalists in the OSCE region since the establishment of the Office. She has reiterated that is "encouraging that the political leaders from all corners of the world and leaders of major religious communities condemned this brutal cold-blooded murder". However, Mijatovic has stressed that condemnation is not sufficient and called all political leaders to honor the memory of the victims by improving the safety of journalists...

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07Jan2015

Roma infant's tiny grave outside Paris prompts controversy

WISSOUS, France (AP) Maria Francesca spent her short life living in a ramshackle camp on the edges of Paris-Orly airport. After the Roma infant girl died, only 2 months old, quarrels erupted over the tiny plot of land needed for her burial that have prompted an anti-discrimination investigation. The mayor of the town Champlan, where the Roma camp is located, is accused of refusing to allow the baby to be buried there and saying the town needs to prioritize taxpayers in the already crowded cemetery. The girl, who died of sudden infant death syndrome on Dec. 26, was instead laid to rest Monday in neighboring Wissous, after the mayor there stepped in and agreed to accept the...

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31Dec2014

LSE Blog - Year in review: the immigration debate

  Immigration became an increasingly important, and toxic, issue this past year. To mark the end of 2014 we’ve compiled our top articles on the topic, ranging from EU migration and ‘benefit tourism’ to detention centres and the business of building fences. To view all our articles on immigration, click here. 1. It is important to move away from ambiguous concepts such as ‘benefit tourism’ and focus on actual numbers Politicians in the UK of all stripes have voiced conern about ‘benefit tourism’. But how many people actually come to take advantage of the UK welfare system? One possible way of informing...

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26Dec2014

National Action Plan Resource Center - the platform for advancing women’s inclusion in peace and security

The National Action Plan Resource Center  is an interactive hub for learning new strategies and sharing analysis, tools, and lessons learned for putting UN Security Council Resolution 1325 into practice. It is a project of the Institute for Inclusive Security, and it is supported by the Norwegian Ministrz of Foreign Affairs. Platform brings up-to-date information on the state of national action plans (NAPs) worldwide—including news on the latest countries to adopt NAPs. It showcases major highlights, as well as in-depth analysis, about each of the 48-and-counting nations that have formally adopted inclusive policies. What difference can this make? Resolution 1325 is more...

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25Dec2014

Project: Formal and informal networks in rural areas

New issue of the RRPP Newsletter is now available on-line

The 4th issue of the RRPP Newsletter (September-December) is now available on-line and can be read here. Regional Research Promotion Programme in the Western Balkans (RRPP) is aimed at fostering and promoting socia sciences research in the Western Balkans. Social science research aids in the understanding of the specific needs for reform and in identifying the long-term implications of potential policy choices. Researchers receive support through research grants, methodological and thematic trainings, as well as opportunities for regional and international exchange and networking. The RRPP is coordinated and operated by the Interfaculty Institute for Central and Eastern...

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24Dec2014

Project: Prevention, Protection and Integration of the Human Trafficking Victims in Serbia

70 Percent of Child Sex Trafficking Victims are sold Online: Study

In 2014, buying a child for sex online can be just as easy as selling your old couch or posting an updated resume. Astonishing statistics dug up by Thorn, an agency that studies technology's role in sex trafficking, found that sites like Craigslist are often used as tools for conducting business within the industry. Incredibly, 70 percent of child sex trafficking survivors surveyed by Thorn were at some point sold online. "People are posted and sold online multiple times a day," Asia, a survivor of sex trafficking, told Thorn. "As far as the ad that was posted up [for me]… just [like] you can go find a car, there was a picture, and a description, and a...

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23Dec2014

Violence against women and prostitution: the Nordic model as an inspiration for gender equality

Inspiring event of the EWL and the Mission of Norway to the EU On Monday 8 December, more than 120 persons reached out to the welcoming meeting room of the Mission of Norway to the EU, to discuss the Nordic model as an inspiration for the realisation of gender equality. This event, co-organised by the European Women’s Lobby (EWL) and the Norway Mission, came 3 months after the evaluation of the Norwegian law on prostitution, and aimed at feeding into the European discussion on women’s rights, at the eve of the 20 years of the Beijing Platform for Action, by assessing the impact of the Nordic approach on gender equality. it came at a strategic time to also take...

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23Dec2014

Project: Monitoring Serbia’s OSCE Chairmanship

Tasovac and Mijatovic on priorities of Serbia's OSCE presidency

VIENNA - Serbia respects freedom of the media and freedom of expression and the Serbian government condemns any attempt to violate these freedoms, Serbian Minister of Culture and Information Ivan Tasovac stated in the talks with OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatovic on Tuesday. In a release, OSCE notes that Mijatovic and Tasovac discussed the plans and priorities in Serbia's forthcoming OSCE chairmanship, as well as issues connected to media freedoms in Serbia and the OSCE region. It is positive that Serbia's chairmanship next year would pay special attention to media freedoms in the OSCE region and safety of journalists, Mijatovic said. She noted that...

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22Dec2014

Turkey's women expand role in military

At the 24th International Defence Film Festival in Rome, a documentary by film director Elif Ovar of the Turkish Army’s Photo-Film Center was selected for the Jury’s Award. Her documentary "Light of Hope" — about Senay Haydar, Turkey’s first female gendarmie commander and senior noncommissioned officer (NCO), against the backdrop of gender discrimination and violence against women in the small Anatolian town of Mesudiye — attracted much interest. Haydar works closely with local officials and families and has been credited for eradicating violence against women among the 40,000 residents of Mesudiye. Thanks to Haydar’s...

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20Dec2014

Project: Prevention, Protection and Integration of the Human Trafficking Victims in Serbia

Truck drivers, nuns unite against human trafficking

CEDAR RAPIDS — Nuns and truck drivers may not seem the most obvious of partners. But in Cedar Rapids, they’re working together to fight human trafficking. Human trafficking is a real issue both across the nation and in Iowa, advocates say, and truck drivers, as the “eyes and ears of the road,” are in a unique position to help stop it. “The trucking industry always has been a good partner when we’ve needed more eyes and ears out there,” said Iowa Department of Transportation chief of motor vehicle enforcement Dave Lorenzen. “The more eyes we can put on this the better.” Sister Emily Devine, a retired nun with the...

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19Dec2014

Project: Inclusion of Roma Women and Men in Security Sector

Roma-Hungarian Police Major shares his experience on social integration of Roma

With the start of the project 'Inclusion of Roma Women and Men in Security Sector' Public Policy Research Centre shares experience of Roma-Hungarian Police officer György Makula. In honor of International Roma Day 2014, the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor is honored to share the story of György Makula, a police major and Deputy Head of the Communication Service of the Hungarian National Police Headquarters. Makula is also the chair and cofounder of the Fraternal Association of European Roma Law Enforcement Officers (FAERLEO). Roma represent the largest of thirteen Hungarian minority populations identified by Hungary’s...

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19Dec2014

Women in military combat is nothing new, just not British

Other countries have allowed women to serve in combat zones for decades, but the MoD says the definition is not fully clear. While some in the military have dismissed the move by the UK’s Ministry of Defence on Friday towards allowing women soldiers to fight in combat roles as a political move, when it happens it will not represent such a big change for the troops on the ground. British soldiers have already served alongside women in combat roles – just not alongside British ones. In Afghanistan, British infantry worked alongside women soldiers from Denmark, a country that has already lifted the ban on women in combat roles. They shared the risks from sniper fire,...

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18Dec2014

IOM Director General Calls for Action to Save Migrants Lives on International Migrants Day 2014

On International Migrants Day 2014, December 18th, IOM Director General William Lacy Swing is calling for urgent action to save the lives of migrants and stop smugglers from exploiting their desperation to extort huge sums of money. IOM data shows that the number of migrants dying on dangerous journeys in the hope of finding better lives for themselves and their families, is rising. Some 5,000 migrants (4,868) lost their lives this year at sea or in remote deserts or mountains. This makes 2014 the deadliest year on record, with double the number of last year’s deaths. The highest death toll was in the Mediterranean, where over 3,000 people drowned due to embarking on...

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18Dec2014

Gender trainers from the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Serbia and SAF delivered the first seminar on gender equality 

On 18 December 2014, four certified gender trainers from the Ministry of Defence (MoD) of the Republic of Serbia and Serbian Armed Forces (SAF) delivered the first seminar on gender equality to their colleagues in the MoD and SAF. The seminar was organized at the Institute for Strategic Research of the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Serbia with the support of UNDP SEESAC.   The aim of the seminar was to raise gender awareness of ‘persons of trust’ at the MoD and the SAF and advance their understanding of gender equality and its importance for the military.The seminar was opened by Dr. Jovanka Šaranović, Gender Adviser to the Minister of Defence...

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17Dec2014

Five Ways You Can Promote Gender Equality in Your Workplace

Gender equality continues to be one of the largest movements of our generation. Out of the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) set by the United Nations in 2000, the third goal listed is "promote gender equality and empower women." November 25th marked the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and launched the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence Campaign which concludes on December 10, Human Rights Day. Pink may be the colour typically associated with girls and women but to mark this 16-day campaign the United Nations is encouraging people to Orange YOUR Neighbourhood to promote gender equality while taking action to end...

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17Dec2014

Family farmers should be at the heart of all agriculture, food security and nutrition agendas 

nbsp; Interview with Ms. Estrella Penunia, International Year of Family Farming Special Ambassador Ms. Estrella Penunia, or Esther, as she is known to colleagues, is Secretary General of the Asian Farmers’ Association (AFA), a regional alliance of national farmers organizations or FOs in Asia. Established in 2002, AFA is currently composed of fifteen national FOs in twelve countries, representing around 12 million small-scale farmers (both women and men).    As a social development worker, Esther spent more than three decades working in the field of rural development alongside farmers, fishers and indigenous peoples as a community organizer, participatory action...

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15Dec2014

Project: Formal and informal networks in rural areas

Call for Papers: RRPP Annual Conference in Ohrid, Macedonia, 28-29 May 2015

Interested young researchers and scholars in social sciences are invited to apply to participate in the RRPP Annual Conference that will take place in Ohrid, Macedonia, from 28-29 May 2015. Main objectives of the conference are: To discuss current challenges, ambivalences and prospects for the transformation process of the Western Balkan states and societies; To exploit potential areas and opportunities to more effectively influence policy development and policy making, based on viable scientific research results; To provide a forum for researchers dealing with the region to network, exchange and discuss their research projects and results. Eligible Candidates PhD...

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15Dec2014

Project: Formal and informal networks in rural areas

EUROSTAT's first estimates: In 2014 EU28 real agricultural income per worker down by 1.7%

Compared with 2013, EU28 real agricultural income per worker1 has decreased by 1.7% in 2014 according to first estimates2 issued by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. These estimates are based on data supplied by the national authorities in the EU28 Member States. Between 2005 and 2014, EU28 real agricultural income per worker is estimated to have increased by 34.4%, while agricultural labour input fell by 24.6%. The decrease of real agricultural income per worker in 2014 is the result of a fall in real agricultural income (-4.0%), partly compensated by a reduction in agricultural labour input (-2.3%). The decrease in EU28 real...

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14Dec2014

Project: Prevention, Protection and Integration of the Human Trafficking Victims in Serbia

For human trafficking victims, state offers ‘a new beginning’

BALTIMORE — Katie had been in Baltimore less than 24 hours when police burst into a Linthicum hotel room during a prostitution sting in May 2011. Her arrest that day brought a mix of fear and relief. The young woman, originally from Texas, had worked in prostitution on and off since she was 13 — when she was trafficked by her first pimp. Eight years later, she would turn 21 in jail. Katie eventually found social services that she said helped her get her life straightened out. But she still had prostitution charges on her record, and they weighed heavily on her mind. Today, those charges have been erased through conviction vacatur, a process permitted by a 2011...

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11Dec2014

Project: Formal and informal networks in rural areas

Switzerland will invest more than 1 million CHF into Serbian social sciences projects

In the next two years, Switzerland will invest more than 1 million CHF into Serbian social sciences projects, especially focusing on support for emerging generation of researchers (PhD students or recent PhD graduates) and internationalisation of their research work. Research institutions from Serbia will be leading 8 regional research projects with over 100 researchers. Over the last five years, RRPP supported 50 research projects in the Western Balkans worth 3.7 million CHF, with 1 mil. CHF invested into 16 projects in Serbia involving more than 125 Serbian researchers. Full press realease can be find here.

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10Dec2014

Human Rights Day: Human rights matter every day for everyone, everywhere

“Human rights matter because they are dependent on only one thing: being human.”  This is one of the short video messages sent by everyday human rights defenders from around the world through the video sharing platform, Vine, the main social medium used to celebrate this year’s Human Rights Day. The UN Human Rights Office wanted to focus on why human rights counted every day for people everywhere, and asked that they declare themselves part of the human rights community through these short messages. In his traditional message for the Day, UN Human Rights Chief, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, highlighted the first words of the Universal Declaration of...

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10Dec2014

U.N. food aid halt pushing more Syrian refugee girls to early marriage

By Magdalena Mis LONDON, Dec 4 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - The halt in U.N. food supplies to 1.7 million Syrian refugees makes it more likely that refugee children will be forced to go to work or marry early to help their families survive, the U.N. children's agency UNICEF said on Thursday. The World Food Programme (WFP) suspended food vouchers for Syrian refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey, Iraq and Egypt on Monday due to a lack of funds and said it needed $64 million (41 million pounds) to feed the refugees for the rest of December. Stopping the vouchers would have a very serious impact on children, "because it is very likely that families will be under even...

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09Dec2014

Project: Prevention, Protection and Integration of the Human Trafficking Victims in Serbia

2014 Human Rights Summit

"Human Rights First" organizes on 9 and 10 December 2014 Human Rights Summit in Washington DC. Third annual Human Rights Summit, brings together human rights defenders, U.S. policymakers, military leaders, and business leaders, and Members of Congress from across the political spectrum to address some of the most pressing issues of the day and identify pragmatic opportunities for American leadership to advance human rights. Human Rights First focuses not just on what human rights outcomes should be, but puts forward real-life roadmaps on how to achieve them.  To that end, today Human Rights First is...

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08Dec2014

OSCE Roma and Sinti Youth Conference in Belgrade 

BELGRADE, 8 December 2014 – More than 40 young activists from across the OSCE region are gathering for the OSCE Roma and Sinti Youth Conference in Belgrade on 8 and 9 December 2014, to discuss and propose policies to mobilize and empower their communities and to stimulate their participation in politics and decision-making. The conference, organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), brings together young Roma and Sinti men and women to discuss solutions to human security, socio-economic and environmental issues. “With this conference, we want to give young Roma and Sinti a stronger voice and explore ways to enhance their...

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05Dec2014

5th Annual Meeting of the Women Police Officers Network in South East Europe (WPON) 

The Fifth Annual Meeting of the Women Police Officers Network in South East Europe (WPON) was held on 3 and 4 December 2014 in Tirana, gathering representatives of eight (8) Police Services from Southeast Europe (SEE).  The aim of the meeting was to enable information exchange and experience-sharing on the advancement of gender equality in policing and to offer updates on activities and results achieved in advancing gender equality over the course of last year. In addition to this, the meeting enabled networking and knowledge-sharing among high-level women police officials in the region. WPON members also reviewed the draft analysis of the data collected in 2014 on the...

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03Dec2014

Project: Monitoring Serbia’s OSCE Chairmanship

OSCE Parallel Civil Society Conference 2014 in Basel

OSCE Parallel Civil Society Conference is held in Basel on December 2nd and 3rd, with the participation of different non-governmental organizations from the OSCE area that are committed to human rights protection and promotion. The Conference is organized by the Civic Solidarity Platform, in cooperation with the Swisspeace, and with the support of Swiss OSCE Chairmanship. Such conferences have been organized since 2010 in the countries which hold the OSCE Chairmanship, with the focus on OSCE human dimension and with the endeavor to discuss issues civil society is dealing with, as well as to empower cooperation among civil society and the OSCE members and bodies. During the...

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03Dec2014

Norway’s discriminatory legislation against Roma

This month Norway’s parliament, which has one of the highest GDP in the world at $100,000, has banned begging in some local municipalities alongside a national ban on begging for the summer. The official reason given by the new Conservative-Progress coalition government is to combat human trafficking and other organised crime. However, from what I can gather, this seems to be a direct attack on Roma immigrants as they make up a high percentage of the beggars in Norway. This legislation has been coupled with the announcement that the 2015 budget will see cuts in funds for the shelters for the homeless. These church shelters are a lifeline for the homeless immigrant beggars as...

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02Dec2014

Cyber Security Winter School in Petnica

The Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF) and the  DiploFoundation are organizing the Cyber Security Winter School in Petnica, from December 1st to December 5th. The Winter School if funded by the DCAF and the Swiss Ministry of Defence. This year’s programme of the Winter School will develop participants’ understanding of cyber security challenges and cyber security governance, from technological and security aspects to analysis of international and political dimensions. The programme will address national and global cyber security policy issues; it will also address the role of policy-makers and international actors and review relevant...

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27Nov2014

6th Regional Meeting of Gender Equality Mechanisms

On 26 - 27 November 2014, representatives of Gender Equality Mechanisms (GEM) in the Ministries of Defense (MoDs) and Armed Forces (AFs) of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia took part in the Sixth Regional GEM meeting in Skopje. Participants primarily shared information on activities implemented and results achieved in advancing gender equality in their respective institutions since the last regional meeting held in June 2014. In particular, they focused on working conditions, human resource policies and practices, and ways to introduce gender equality to military education and training. In a vibrant...

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27Nov2014

Project: Formal and informal networks in rural areas

International Year of Family Farming closes after giving fresh momentum to this vital sector

IYFF brought new political commitment in support of the world’s more than 500 million family farms. Officials and representatives from family farmers' international networks, cooperatives, the private sector, academia and UN agencies, today marked the formal closure of the International Year of Family Farming (IYFF) by stressing how the initiative has helped raise awareness of the crucial role played by family farmers in fighting hunger and poverty worldwide. The year was considered a resounding success by all actors involved in the process. "Above all, strong political commitment in favour of family farming has risen at the highest level across the world,...

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26Nov2014

Coercive Sterilisation of Romani Women: inhuman and degrading treatment but not discrimination according to the ECHR

Coercive sterilisation is a gross human rights violation and although it is performed on both men and women throughout the world, women are more vulnerable as a result of sex – specific situations such as childbirth or miscarriage expose them to sterilisation more frequently. Evidence shows that for example in Czechoslovakia under the Communist regime State policy systematically targeted Romani women for sterilisation; there have been instances of coercive sterilisation of Romani women in Hungary too. Most of these sterilisations were performed during a Caesarean-section, without the informed consent of the patients. The latest known such intervention happened in 2008....

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25Nov2014

Project: Formal and informal networks in rural areas

Messages from the Ambassador of Switzerland at the RRPP Policy Conference

H.E. Jean-Daniel Ruch, Swiss Ambassador to the Republic of Serbia and Republic of Montenegro in his speech at the "Enhancing the contribution of research to policy making in Western Balkans – lessons from practice” RRPP Policy Conference held last week, shared some expirience on the results of his country in the development of research. Video of H.E. Jean-Daniel Ruch's speech is available here. Full text of the speech reads as follows: Dear Colleagues, Dear Ladies and Gentlemen, I am very pleased to open the Regional Conference on “Enhancing the contribution of research to policy making in Western Balkans – lessons from...

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24Nov2014

Transfer of V4 experience in CSDP

The Visegrad Group’s (V4) experience in Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) of the European Union is shared at the event in the Slovak Republic Embassy in Belgrade on 24 November 2014. Introductory remarks have offered ambassadors of Slovakia – H.E. Ján Varšo, Czech Republic – H.E. Ivana Hlavsová, Poland – H.E. Aleksander Chećko, and Hungary – as well as Mr Zoltan Varga-Haszonits, Deputy Head of Hungarian Embassy and  Mr Oscar Benedict, Deputy Head of the EU Delegation and Ms Tanja Miscevic, Head of the Negotiation Team for the Accession of the Republic of Serbia to the EU. Further food for thought have been...

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24Nov2014

Project: Prevention, Protection and Integration of the Human Trafficking Victims in Serbia

Global report on trafficking in persons 2014

In 2010, just a few months short of the tenth anniversary of the adoption of the Trafficking in Persons Protocol, Member States renewed their commitment to the fight against trafficking in persons by adopting the United Nations Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons (contained in General Assembly resolution 64/293). In the framework of the Global Plan of Action, the General Assembly mandated UNODC to collect information and publish a Global Report on Trafficking in Persons every two years. The UNODC Global Report 2014 is the second of its kind mandated by the General Assembly. It covers 128 countries and provides an overview of patterns and flows of trafficking...

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21Nov2014

Project: Prevention, Protection and Integration of the Human Trafficking Victims in Serbia

One in three women have experienced physical or sexual violence from partner

One in three women have experienced physical or sexual violence from their partner, while 7% will be assaulted at some point in their lives by a non-partner, say the authors of a new series of papers in the Lancet. They conclude that too little is being done to counter violence against women, which is endemic around the globe. Even though the issue is attracting more attention and there is greater knowledge about how to protect women, violence – including intimate-partner violence, rape, FGM, trafficking and forced marriages – remains unacceptably high. Between 100 million and 140 million girls and women have suffered FGM, with more than 3 million girls at...

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20Nov2014

25 years of the CRC: Understanding the Convention on the Rights of the Child

What is the Convention on the Rights of the Child? The Convention on the Rights of the Child is an international treaty that recognizes the human rights of children, defined as persons up to the age of 18 years. The Convention establishes in international law that States Parties must ensure that all children—without discrimination in any form—benefit from special protection measures and assistance; have access to services such as education and health care; can develop their personalities, abilities and talents to the fullest potential; grow up in an environment of happiness, love and understanding; and are informed about and participate in, achieving their rights in an...

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20Nov2014

Project: Formal and informal networks in rural areas

RRPP project conference 'Enhancing the contribution of research to policy making in the Western Balkans - lessons from practice'

The conference Enhancing the contribution of research to policy making in the Western Balkans - lessons from practice took place on 19 and 20 November in Belgrade. At the event Policy Bridging Initiative - designed by the International Centre for Policy and Advocacy (ICPA) to support the RRPP-funded research projects - has been officially launched. The conference has involved panel discussions among representatives from NGO sector, universities, governments as well as orientation meetings with the ICPA and RRPP. More than 85 participants have participated. The main aim of the event was to enable RRPP researchers to make informed decisions on bringing research evidence into the...

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20Nov2014

Project: Prevention, Protection and Integration of the Human Trafficking Victims in Serbia

Hotel Group Teaching Its Employees to Spot Human Trafficking

A group that operates Days Inn, Super 8 and Ramada hotels has partnered with an organization Polaris to educate employees about human trafficking. Wyndham Hotel Group, which operates 7,590 hotels worldwide, recently announced that it is educating its hotel owners, franchisees, property-level staff and employees at corporate offices and call centers about the aspects of human trafficking. The company announced in a press release this week that it partnered with Polaris, “a leader in the global fight to eradicate modern slavery and restore freedom to survivors.” The hotel group owns Days Inn, Super 8, Travelodge, Ramada and Howard Johnson hotels. There is a...

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19Nov2014

Why should Roma believe in strategic litigation?

During a panel discussion last week at the PILnet European pro bono forum, the question was put to us whether there was a risk that those litigating Roma rights might lose touch with the wishes of Roma litigants. The concern was that complex and lengthy legal battles might become unrecognisable to those supposedly waging them. I gave a depressing answer: “We’re several steps away from that worry. I’m not sure Roma waging these battles care enough about them to feel they’ve become alienated from them. They have more pressing problems and the courts have failed them so often that we are not able to convey to them the usefulness of litigation as a...

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18Nov2014

Project: Prevention, Protection and Integration of the Human Trafficking Victims in Serbia

Traffickers turn to teenagers to drive migrant boats across Mediterranean

People smugglers in Egypt and Libya are escaping justice by using children to ferry migrants to Europe, leaving the youngsters to face jail and huge fines. Traffickers in Egypt and Libya are increasingly using children to drive boats of migrants to Italy. Many of these teenagers are then detained and imprisoned by the Italian authorities, facing up to 15 years in jail and fines of hundreds of thousands of euros. This year, 18 children have been sent to jail in Catania, Sicily, on trafficking charges. Others are being held in juvenile detention centres in Agrigento, Palermo, Siracusa and Reggio Calabria. Lawyers in Sicily say more and more minors are being charged with offences...

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18Nov2014

Project: Formal and informal networks in rural areas

Investing in Rural Infrastructure and Institutions to Empower Smallholder farmers

In this guest post, Wafaa El Khoury, Lead Technical Specialist at the International Fund for Agricultural Development’s Policy and Technical Advisory Division discusses the powerful effect that investing in rural infrastructure and institutions can have on smallholder farmers’ lives. Smallholder farmers in the developing world face multiple constraints that they must overcome to sustainably increase their productivity, enhance their income, connect with markets and become more resilient. These constraints often involve limited access to advisory services, natural resources and agricultural inputs – including seeds, fertilisers and agro-chemicals –...

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17Nov2014

Project: Monitoring Serbia’s OSCE Chairmanship

OSCE, youth, and security: Study visit to Vienna

Within the project 'Serbian OSCE Chairmanship 2015 and the role of youth', conducted by the National Youth Council of Serbia and supported by the Ministry of Youth and Sport and the OSCE Mission to Serbia, a study visit to Vienna was organized, from 12th to 14th of November. Our researcher Marina Taić was among six chosen participants of the study visit. During the study visit they attended the session of the Permanent Council of the OSCE, and visited the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Serbia to the OSCE and other international organizations in Vienna, where they talked to Sanja Milinković, Deputy Chief of the Mission. Additionally, they talked to Slovenian Ambassador to...

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16Nov2014

International Day for Tolerance

In 1996, the UN General Assembly (by resolution 51/95) invited UN Member States to observe the International Day for Tolerance on 16 November, with activities directed towards both educational establishments and the wider public. This action followed on the United Nations Year for Tolerance, 1995, proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in 1993 at the initiative of UNESCO, as outlined in the Declaration of Principles on Tolerance and Follow-up Plan of Action for the Year. The 2005 World Summit Outcome document (A/RES/60/1) furthered the commitment of Heads of State and Government to advance human welfare, freedom and progress everywhere, as well as to encourage tolerance,...

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14Nov2014

Project: Prevention, Protection and Integration of the Human Trafficking Victims in Serbia

Uzbekistan ban on child labour forces more adults into cotton workforce

"stand-first">Report claims 4 million adults including teachers, businessmen and students pressed into working on cotton harvest. Uzbekistan’s pledge to end child labour in its cotton industry is leading to an increasing number of adults being forced to work in the state-controlled industry, according to an assessment of the 2014 harvest by a coalition of labour rights groups. A report by the Cotton Campaign, published on Friday, said that a ban on the use of child labour in the Uzbek cotton harvest has resulted in increased pressure on adults to fill the gaps left by children in the workforce. It says 4 million adults were forced to work in the harvest this year....

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13Nov2014

Project: Prevention, Protection and Integration of the Human Trafficking Victims in Serbia

Manchester trafficking ring ‘sold pregnant woman into sham marriage’

Thirteen people arrested for offences including trafficking people for exploitation and conspiracy to breach immigration law. Thirteen people have been arrested over a trafficking ring which saw a pregnant woman tricked into visiting the UK before being sold into a sham marriage. The 10 men and three women, aged between 24 and 57, were detained after police and Home Office officers went to their properties in Greater Manchester on Wednesday. The offences for which they have been arrested include trafficking people for exploitation, conspiracy to facilitate breach of immigration law, and conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration into a member state. Three people were arrested...

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12Nov2014

One in four Croatian Roma has no identity documents

A free legal assistance project has been launched in Croatia to determine the actual number of Croatian Roma who do not have identity documents in light of estimates saying that around 25% of the Roma community do not have such documents, heard a round table organised in Slavonski Brod on Wednesday by the local Legal Information Centre (IPC) and the UNHCR Office in Croatia. The round table on the status of Roma in Croatia was held on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the United Nations Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons. "It is estimated that around 25% of the Roma population in Croatia have no identity documents. That is why the IPC in 2011...

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11Nov2014

First woman to lead American Legion says military should ‘stop sweeping’ sexual assaults ‘under the rug’

When a homeless female veteran came to the first American Legion’s Veterans Benefits center  last month in Los Angeles with documents that said she had suffered a sexual trauma in the military, she was able to share her story with a high-ranking woman leader of the veterans group. She spoke to Verna Jones, the American Legion’s new executive director, and the first woman to lead the veterans organization in its nearly 100-year history. She’s also believed to be the first African-American director. Jones, an attorney and Army veteran, said she was proud that she was able to offer her personal experience as a woman, to a fellow female veteran. Women are one...

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09Nov2014

Project: Formal and informal networks in rural areas

In India, UN Women Executive Director hears from rural tech gurus

Shihore, Gurarat Music, dance and more than 500 rural women greeted UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka as she entered the Town Hall of Shihore, a village block in the western state of Gujarat, on her second day in India. An “information fair” bringing together local women and their elected leaders, was the backdrop of the event, where community members shared their experiences of using technology to catalyse change. The interactive day-long event was organized as part of the “Making Women’s Voices and Votes Count – An ICT-based Intervention” project. Supported by UN Women’s Fund for Gender Equality, the project enables...

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06Nov2014

Project: Prevention, Protection and Integration of the Human Trafficking Victims in Serbia

Teen actors create scene over human trafficking

The characters the student actors portray in "Traffic Jam" are about their age and that just makes the danger the characters face all the more real. The one-act play about human trafficking will be staged by actors from Bowling Green High School Monday at 8 p.m. in the lobby of the Dorothy Uber Bryan Gallery in the Fine Art Center on the Bowling Green State University campus. The performance in conjunction with the Identity Project will conclude an evening's worth of activities beginning at 6 p.m. with a discussion in the School of Art's Arttalk series by Ruby Onyintechi Amanzi. Amanzi's work is on display along with work by Noel Palomo-Lovinski in...

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06Nov2014

Project: Formal and informal networks in rural areas

The role of local government in rural development

Together with the Minister of Agriculture and Environment and Mayor of Nis, Mr. Jean-Luc Oesch, Charge d’Affaires of the Swiss Embassy in Serbia opened the conference on Rural Development. The conference was organized by the Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities and the Project “Municipal Economic Development in Eastern Serbia” both supported by SDC. The conference has been attended by 250 participants among which mayors and employees in municipalities, experts in rural development and representatives of the international community. In presence of H. E. Ms. Snežana Bogosavljević-Bošković, Minister, Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental...

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05Nov2014

Project: Formal and informal networks in rural areas

How India can help its small farmers grow

India is home to 1.2 billion people, of which almost half depend on agriculture for their livelihood and sustenance. The majority of farmers are poor, even though food prices are rising alongside demand. Despite many efforts and the new Food Security Bill, the problem remains largely unsolved. The solution is multifaceted. To increase productivity, reduce post-harvest losses and meet consumer demand, farmers need to access technology and information; also infrastructure such as waterworks, roads and storage facilities; and markets and financial solutions such as credit and insurance. This requires the collaboration of various stakeholders, from governments,...

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05Nov2014

International scientific conference 'Twenty years of human security concept - discourse and practice’

International scientific conference 'Twenty years of human security concept - discourse and practice’ will take place 7-8 November 2014 in Belgrade. The conference is organized by the University of Belgrade - Faculty of Security with partners - Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia and Citizens' network for peace, reconciliation and human security. Scholars and practitioners in human security, as well as representative sof the UN, OSCE and EU, will re-examine twenty years of human security concept, focusing on new theoretical discourses and dominant practices in their implementation. Idea of the conference is to provide a...

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03Nov2014

Ending violence against women

This month we focus on the social, health and economic costs of violence against women and the efforts in legislation and advocacy to prevent this pandemic that affects one-in-three women worldwide. Violence against women and girls, a human rights violation, continues to hamper women’s equality, and deter development for all. Violence against women is a human rights violation and a serious impediment to women’s progress in any area of life. It undercuts women’s health, prospects for education and productive work, and ability to participate as full members of their societies, among other consequences. Sobering numbers show how common violence is — and...

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03Nov2014

Project: Prevention, Protection and Integration of the Human Trafficking Victims in Serbia

‘I came to the UK and I was turned into a prostitute’ – trafficked women share their horrific stories

When trafficked women finally break free of their abusers, they turn in desperation to the authorities. This is only the start of a new nightmare. Four women describe their slavery, escape and further detention by officials they thought would help them. Last year Theresa May announced new legislation to end human trafficking and modern slavery, describing it as the “evil in our midst”. Figures from the National Crime Agency in September estimated that 2,744 people, including 602 children, were trafficked for exploitation in the UK in 2013, a 22% increase on 2012, and forced to work in brothels, in domestic servitude, or exploited in factories, farms and building...

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30Oct2014

Tackling the myths about women in business

How do women get to the top in business? It’s important to separate facts from myths. KPMG recently joined forces with the 30% Club (a group aimed at boosting female board membership to, and beyond, the 30% mark) and YSC, a firm of business psychologists, to analyse a cross-section of international businesses listed in London. I believe the results could go a long way towards helping CEOs plan for a better gender balance on their boards. Our study found that men and women have similar career aspirations and leadership traits, and are motivated by the same “push and pull” factors in what they find appealing or off-putting about a job. But we also...

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30Oct2014

On violence: A new approach in Serbia with the New School

Recent statistics reveals the alarming prevalence of violence against women in Serbia: 54 percent of women were exposed to some form of violence during their lifetime, while only 10 percent contacted services for assistance. This violence presents a complex social problem. It is both a root cause of gender inequality as well as an extreme consequence of social norms that condone this type of discrimination. Life in fear impedes women to fully realize their own capacities, competencies, and goals for the future. UNDP in Serbia has been partnering with and supporting actors at the national, provincial, and local levels to ameliorate the situation. A majority of our...

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29Oct2014

Nine out of 10 gypsy and traveller children have suffered racial abuse

Discrimination against travellers is the last bastion of ‘acceptable’ racism in Britain, claims report. Discrimination against gypsies and travellers is the last bastion of "acceptable" racism in Britain, according to research published today. Nine out of 10 gypsy, traveller or Roma children in the UK have suffered racial abuse, a study from the National Federation of Gypsy Liaison Groups and Anglia Ruskin University shows. Two thirds of children from itinerant groups have also been bullied or physically attacked and many are too scared to go to school, researchers say. The report is the first comprehensive review of what life is like for those...

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27Oct2014

Project: Formal and informal networks in rural areas

Beyond the International Year of Family Farming

27 October 2014, Rome - How can governments, farmers' organizations and the private sector seize current global momentum and galvanize concrete action in support of family farmers beyond 2014? This is the central question at the two-day Global Dialogue on Family Farming (GDFF), opened at FAO headquarters today. In his opening remarks, FAO Director General José Graziano da Silva addressed farmers and their organizations directly, stating that "Today, you are recognized as central to what FAO does, to what the world wants and to what the world needs: a sustainable and food secure future." Also in attendance at the opening were Sándor Fazekas,...

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24Oct2014

Project: Prevention, Protection and Integration of the Human Trafficking Victims in Serbia

Human Trafficking: By Kosovars, of Kosovars, for Kosovars

By Jack Davies Gone are the days of slick, transnational criminal networks hauling lorryloads of women from Eastern Europe to work as prostitutes in Kosovo for a predominantly international clientele. Today, the majority of human trafficking victims in Kosovo were born there; so, too, were the men that exploit them. And whilst the perpetrators may still be legally classified as ‘organized’ criminals, in reality they are a shambolic constellation of insidious, low-level entrepreneurs. The laws of supply and demand govern every market, including paid-for sex. In the years immediately following the end of the 1997-1999 Kosovo War, the country was flooded with thousands...

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23Oct2014

Project: Formal and informal networks in rural areas

Rural participation: between new and traditional technologies

Written by: Karine Poirier, AMARC International Secretariat  The Forum on Communication for Development and Community Media for Family Farming opened at the Food and Agriculture Organization’s Headquarters, in Rome, Italy, today. Participants met to discuss the role of communication to improve rural development. In his presentation, Francesco Diasio, Acting Secretary General of the World Association of Community Broadcasters, highlighted the recent findings of the regional virtual consultations held by FAO and AMARC in three continents: Asia-Pacific, Latin America and Africa. Assessing the current situation, Mr. Diasio suggested that knowledge management remains a...

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22Oct2014

Working to Incorporate Gender into Military Education and Training Curricula

The Regional Meeting on including Gender Perspectives in Military Education and Training Curricula took place in Belgrade, on 9 October 2014. Organized by UNDP’s SEESAC initiative, as part of the Strengthening of Regional Cooperation on Gender Mainstreaming in Security Sector Reform in the Western Balkans project, the meeting gathered twelve representatives of the Ministries of Defence (MoDs) and members of Armed Forces (AFs) in charge of developing education curricula, and conducting trainings on gender equality  in their respective institutions. The meeting enabled participants to learn from each other’s experiences, share existing challenges and examples of best...

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21Oct2014

Sweden Is Making a Move For Gender Equality the U.S. Would Never Consider

Is the next step for gender equality gender neutrality? In 2012, Sweden introduced "hen" into its online National Encyclopedia as the gender-neutral replacement for han ("he") and hon ("she"). First originating with Swedish linguists in the mid-1960s, hen is believed to be heralding a new gender revolution, one in which equality means neutrality.  Perhaps it's no surprise that Sweden, which ranks fourth in the World Economic Forum's 2013 Global Gender Gap Report, has adopted this pronoun. The country's cultural history, steeped in aesthetic utilitarianism — Ikea, anyone? — lends itself to such an economical turn of...

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18Oct2014

Project: Prevention, Protection and Integration of the Human Trafficking Victims in Serbia

Eradiction of human trafficking priority for EU

During the years 2010-2012, EU Member States registered 30 146 victims of trafficking in human beings. Behind this number are human tragedies, broken hopes and destroyed plans for a better life. During the same period, 8 551 prosecutions against traffickers were reported across the EU. 80 percent of victims of trafficking were female, and over 1 000 child victims were registered as trafficked for sexual exploitation. This data is part of a statistical report on victims and perpetrators of trafficking released today by the European Commission. A report also shows that many concrete measures against this severe human rights violation have been undertaken during 2010-2014, such as better...

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15Oct2014

Invisible and Forgotten: Syrian Domari Refugees in Turkey

“Whenever there is a war, it hurts us. Nobody wants us Doms. People see us as their enemies in Iraq, Lebanon, and now Syria. They say ‘You are reprobates, thieves, you play drums and drink alcohol.’ But in fact they are the real thieves since they stole everything from us.”   (Elderly Domari refugee) As the chaos and suffering of war deepens in Syria, the number of registered refugees now exceeds 3 million, according to the UN which has called the crisis ‘the biggest humanitarian emergency of our era’. Of the estimated one million registered and unregistered refugees In Turkey, some 30,000 are of Domari origin. They are living in...

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15Oct2014

Project: Formal and informal networks in rural areas

Marking World Day, UN spotlights rural women as ‘force’ that can drive global progress

Rural women are key agents for achieving the transformational economic, environmental and social changes required for sustainable development, the United Nations declared ahead of the International Day commemorated as an opportunity to promote their empowerment. “Collectively, rural women are a force that can drive global progress,” said Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in a message marking the occasion, which he also said was especially personal. “My mother has lived her whole life in the countryside. Although she did not receive much of a formal education, I grew up appreciate her wisdom, resilience and intelligence,” he said. When we give rural women...

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14Oct2014

The Study on The Position of Women in the Armed Forces in the Western Balkans Presented by the Ministry of Defence of Serbia

Following its presentations in Skoplje, Sarajevo, and Podgorica, the study on The Position of Women in the Armed Forces in the Western Balkans was unveiled on 14 October 2014, in the Central Hall of the Serbian Armed Forces (SAF) in Belgrade, Serbia. The study is a joint endeavor of the Ministries of Defence of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, conducted with the support of UNDP’s SEESAC initiative, and as such represents a truly unique example of regional cooperation. It provides regionally comparable data on the position of women in the Armed Forces (AFs) in the Western Balkans – invaluable for the...

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11Oct2014

Empowering adolescent girls: Ending the cycle of violence

Message by UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka on the occasion of the International Day of the Girl Child, 11 October 2014. On this International Day of the Girl Child let us commit to creating a world where girls can live free of violence and achieve their full potential. Violence against girls, in all its forms, is a grave human rights violation rooted in gender inequality. Up to one-third of adolescent girls report their first sexual experience as being forced. At least 133 million girls and women have experienced female genital mutilation. When an adolescent girl experiences violence, often perpetrated by those closest to her, she has limited choices and...

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10Oct2014

Pakistani teen Malala and Indian children's right activist win Nobel Peace Prize

Pakistani teenager Malala Yousafzai, who was shot in the head by the Taliban in 2012 for advocating girls' right to education, and Indian children's right activist Kailash Satyarthi won the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize on Friday. With the prize, Yousafzai, 17, becomes the youngest Nobel Prize winner, eclipsing Australian-born British scientist Lawrence Bragg, who was 25 when he shared the Physics Prize with his father in 1915. Satyarthi and Yousafzai were picked for their struggle against the suppression of children and young people, and for the right of all children to education, the Norwegian Nobel Committee said. "The Nobel Committee regards it as an important...

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09Oct2014

Project: Prevention, Protection and Integration of the Human Trafficking Victims in Serbia

Human trafficking: from outrage to action

Anne Gallagher 9 October 2014 If we are to have any chance of addressing trafficking, we should work towards the elimination of labour recruitment fees; advocate for a global minimum wage; and look at ways of criminalizing the knowing or reckless use of the services of a victim of trafficking. There’s so much emotion and sentiment and evangelizing around trafficking. It’s very easy to fall into the trap of feeling good about feeling bad; to imagine that speaking about injustice is the same as doing something about it; to fool ourselves that we can spend or petition; tweet or ‘like’ our way out of these problems. One of the painful lessons...

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08Oct2014

Literacy Cubed – Focus on Roma families

In July and August 2014, a family literacy programme (FLP) called Literacy Cubed, developed in a European partnership project implemented by five organizations – RWCT International Consortium and Asociatia Learn&Vision (Romania), the Institute of Education (UK), Orava Association for Democratic Education (Slovakia) and the Pedagogical Center of Montenegro – is being piloted in Roma communities in Cluj-Napoca, Dolny Kubin and Podgorica on 48 children and 72 adults. According to UNESCO, the term ‘family literacy’ refers to practices within families as well as to intergenerational learning that promotes the development of literacy and related life skills....

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08Oct2014

Project: Prevention, Protection and Integration of the Human Trafficking Victims in Serbia

Anti-slavery group ‘dumbfounded’ by illegal gangmaster’s weak sentence

Outcry after Romanian migrant Gheorge Ionas fined £500 for forcing Armagh apple pickers to endure ‘extreme exploitation’. A gangmaster who kept Romanian agricultural workers in inhumane conditions in Northern Ireland while operating illegally has walked away from court with a £500 fine, provoking an outcry from rights groups and the Gangmaster Licensing Authority. The GLA immediately announced that it would seek leave to appeal against the sentence imposed by Craigavon magistrates court on Tuesday. The chief executive of the GLA, Paul Broadbent, described the penalty as “derisory”. Gheorge Ionas, 35, kept fellow Romanian migrants in an...

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07Oct2014

Women and Poverty

The last few years have seen historic achievements in reducing the number of people who are poor, making the end of extreme poverty possible in the coming generation. That requires cutting the multiple roots of impoverishment. One of the deepest is gender discrimination, which imposes a disproportionate burden on women. When women are poor, their rights are not protected. They face obstacles that may be extraordinarily difficult to overcome. This results in deprivation in their own lives and losses for the broader society and economy, as women's productivity is well known as one of the greatest generators of economic dynamism. While both men and women suffer in poverty,...

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07Oct2014

Project: Formal and informal networks in rural areas

International Year of Family Farming

Family Farming is the predominant form of agriculture both in developed and developing countries There are over 500 million family farms in the world. Their rural activities are managed and operated by a family and rely predominantly on family labour. They range from smallholders and medium scale farmers, to peasants, indigenous peoples, traditional communities, fisherfolk, pastoralists and many other groups in any region and biome of the world. Family farmers are an important part of the solution for a world free from poverty and hunger In many regions, they are the main producers of the foodstuff consumed every day in our meals. Over 70 percent of the food insecure...

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02Oct2014

International Day of Non-Violence

The International Day of Non-Violence is marked on 2 October, the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, leader of the Indian independence movement and pioneer of the philosophy and strategy of non-violence. According to General Assembly resolution A/RES/61/271 of 15 June 2007, which established the commemoration, the International Day is an occasion to "disseminate the message of non-violence, including through education and public awareness". The resolution reaffirms "the universal relevance of the principle of non-violence" and the desire "to secure a culture of peace, tolerance, understanding and non-violence". Introducing the resolution in the General...

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02Oct2014

Infographic: Overheard at the UN General Assembly, 69th Session

Select Quotes on Gender Equality UNWomen

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01Oct2014

Project: Prevention, Protection and Integration of the Human Trafficking Victims in Serbia

Trafficking victims in Europe forced into life of crime

Linh, a 14-year-old Vietnamese girl, is found in a cannabis farm during a police raid in the Netherlands. Hundreds of miles (kms) away in Britain Maria, a 13-year-old Roma girl, works 12 hours a day begging and stealing. What do they have in common? Both are among a growing number of adults and children being trafficked to commit crimes across Europe, including cannabis cultivation, drug smuggling, fraud and sham marriages, Anti-Slavery International said in a report released on Tuesday. Traffickers are also forcing victims to deal drugs, produce counterfeit DVDs and cigarettes, pickpocket, take part in illegal adoption and even cook crystal meth, the report said. Based on two...

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01Oct2014

Identifying poor-rich gaps in accessing maternal health care

The most recent data show significant strides in reducing maternal mortality at the national level over the past 20 years.  Improvements in access to maternal health care, especially in skilled birth assistance, have contributed to the reduction of maternal mortality.  While these improvements are impressive, the national level data often mask inequalities in skilled birth assistance within countries. There may be gaps within a country, for example, where wealthy women might have better access than women from poor households. According to the World Health Organization, "The high number of maternal deaths in some areas of the world reflects inequities in access to...

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29Sep2014

Social Justice in the EU – A Cross-national Comparison

Social imbalance in Europe is increasing First Social Justice Index compares all 28 EU states / In Europe the gap is growing between North and South as well as between young and old / social division threatens the future viability of the European project / European social strategy needed Dr Daniel Schraad-Tischler and Dr Christian Kroll are authors of the report ‘Social Justice in the EU - A Cross-national Comparison’ published by the German Bertelsmann Stiftung. It is part of SIM Europe, a social policy monitoring instrument for the EU 28. Combining statistical data and expert evaluations, the Social Inclusion Monitor will reveal social erosion and progress and...

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26Sep2014

Project: Vulnerable Groups And Security Sector Reform: LGBT Case Study

The UN Human Rights Council has adopted resolutions on civil society space, human rights, sexual orientation and gender identity

During the work at its 27th session the UN Human Rights Council has also adopted resolutions on civil society space and on human rights, sexual orientation and gender identity. In a resolution (A/HRC/27/L.24) on civil society space, adopted without a vote, as orally revised, the Council urges States to create and maintain, in law and in practice, a safe and enabling environment in which civil society can operate free from hindrance and insecurity; urges States to acknowledge publicly the important and legitimate role of civil society in the promotion of human rights, democracy and the rule of law and to engage with civil society to enable it to participate in the public debate on...

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25Sep2014

Conference on USA politics on the Western Balkans and Serbia

Centre for USA studies of the Faculty of Political Sciences (University of Belgrade) marks its tenth anniversary with two day conference 'Politics of the USA on the Western Balkans and the Republic of Serbia'. Conference is organized with the support of the embassy of the USA and it will take place 25-26 September at the Faculty of Political Sciences. Conference will adress issues of development of the USA studies in Serbia and the region, influence of the USA on creation of Yugoslavia, and USA politics on Western Balkan and the Serbia. Participants at the Conference are diplomatic representatives, members of academic community, state institutions and NGOs. President of...

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24Sep2014

SEESAC Contributes to Peacekeeping Operations Center Training

On 10 September 2014, UNDP/SEESAC guest lectured at the Peacekeeping Operations Center (PKOC) of the Serbian Armed Forces General Staff. The lectures formed part of a week-long introductory training course offered to the civilian-military group of Functional Specialists currently undergoing general training to prepare for future peacekeeping operations. These specialists are professionals in their respective fields of expertise that may be sent to participate in peacekeeping missions, should the need arise. Participating in the lecture were also designated representatives of various governmental bodies of the Republic of Serbia, including experts from the Ministry of Justice,...

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22Sep2014

Global film industry perpetuates discrimination against women

Nowhere to be “scene,” women protagonists have less than one-third of all speaking roles in film and are largely absent from powerful positions, according to a United Nations-backed survey released today which argues for the involvement of more female film-makers in the industry, and for greater sensitivity to gender imbalance on screen. “The first-ever global study of female characters in popular films, launched today, reveals deep-seated discrimination and pervasive stereotyping of women and girls by the international film industry,” according to UN Women, which supported the study along with The Rockefeller Foundation. It was commissioned from the...

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21Sep2014

International Day of Peace

Each year the International Day of Peace is observed around the world on 21 September. The General Assembly has declared this as a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, both within and among all nations and peoples. To mark the 30th anniversary of the General Assembly Declaration on the Right of Peoples to Peace, the theme of this year’s International Day of Peace is the “Right of Peoples to Peace”. This anniversary offers a unique opportunity to reaffirm the United Nations commitment to the purposes and principles upon which the Organization was founded. The Declaration on the Right of Peoples to Peace recognizes that the promotion of peace is...

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18Sep2014

Project: Prevention, Protection and Integration of the Human Trafficking Victims in Serbia

Mediterranean Migrants: Human Trafficking Gang 'Took Organs as Payment'

A gang of human traffickers accepted migrants' organs as payment for smuggling them to Europe in a perilous journey from northern Africa, an Italian police investigation has revealed. The gang, composed by Libyans and Eritreans, allegedly demanded that asylum seekers pay €1,500 (£1,200) up front to board one of the many run-down boats that leave from the Tripoli area for Italy's southernmost island of Lampedusa every week. Those who could not immediately afford the price were given the possibility to pay at a later stage, according to court documents seen by Corriere della Sera newspaper. Upon their arrival on European soil, the gang decided whether to...

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15Sep2014

Project: Prevention, Protection and Integration of the Human Trafficking Victims in Serbia

FinCEN advisory: Financial red flags for human smuggling and human trafficking

The Treasury Department's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) issued an advisory Thursday to help financial institutions detect and report suspicious activity that could be related to human smuggling or human trafficking. "Financial institutions, large and small, can play a critical role in identifying and reporting transactions related to these unlawful activities based on their observations when interacting with customers and their monitoring processes," FinCEN said. And a few of FinCEN's red flags for human trafficking: Transactions conducted by individuals, escorted by a third party (e.g., under the pretext of requiring an interpreter), to...

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10Sep2014

This Is Life Among the Roma, Europe’s Forgotten People

The Roma are a historically nomadic, widely dispersed people of South Asian origin. They live primarily in Europe — where they constitute one of the largest ethnic minorities — and have done so for more than 1,000 years, writes New York Times in one of the articles carried by our PublicPolicySerbiaWeekly.   Despite a millennium of shared history with Europeans, Roma remain one of the Continent’s most marginalized and underserved groups. A 2012 report jointly compiled by the United Nations Development Program and the European Union’s Fundamental Rights Agency found that only 15 percent of Roma adults surveyed “have completed...

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05Sep2014

International Day of Charity - 5. September

nbsp; Charity contributes to the promotion of dialogue, solidarity and mutual understanding ‎among people.‎ "Charity plays a significant role in the work of the United Nations and its agencies. On this International Day, I call on people everywhere to act on the charitable impulse that resides in every human being -- to start giving and to keep on giving."  (Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Message for the International Day of Charity, 5 September 2014) Poverty persists in all countries of the world, ‎regardless of their economic, social and cultural situation, particularly in developing countries. In recognition of the role of charity in alleviating...

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04Sep2014

Project: Research on family life-satisfaction in Serbia

New global data expose acute prevalence of violence against children: UNICEF

The largest-ever compilation of data on violence against children shows the staggering extent of physical, sexual and emotional abuse -- and reveals the attitudes that perpetuate and justify violence, keeping it ‘hidden in plain sight’ in every country and community in the world. “These are uncomfortable facts — no government or parent will want to see them,” said UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake. “But unless we confront the reality each infuriating statistic represents — the life of a child whose right to a safe, protected childhood has been violated — we will never change the mind-set that violence against children is normal...

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04Sep2014

Project: Prevention, Protection and Integration of the Human Trafficking Victims in Serbia

Police chiefs have been encouraging students to help stop child exploitation in Burton

Police officers and PCSOs were out in force at Burton and South Derbyshire College's freshers' fair to promote Staffordshire County Council's Treated Badly and East Staffordshire Borough Council's Stop The Traffik campaigns. The event was used to encourage youngsters to 'stay safe and build happy, safe relationships', as well as pointing out the signs of potential child sexual exploitation. Sergeant Bob Champeau, from Staffordshire Police, said: "We are happy to support our partners and highlight these areas where young people may find themselves in abusive or exploitative relationships. "I would like to add that all young persons are...

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03Sep2014

The European Convention on Human Rights celebrates 60 years

Protecting the human rights and fundamental freedoms in Europe: On 3 September 1953, the European Convention on Human Rights entered into force. FRA joins the Council of Europe in celebrating 60 years of this landmark international human rights treaty and how it has helped uphold the rights of people across Europe. “The European Convention on Human Rights blazed the trail for fundamental rights protection across Europe,” said FRA Director Morten Kjaerum. “It has allowed countless Europeans to find justice and have their basic human rights upheld. It continues to serve as a beacon across the world to the standards of dignity, democracy, respect for human rights and...

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03Sep2014

Citing women’s crucial role in peacebuilding, UN officials urge concrete support on ground

Women are crucial partners in peacebuilding and must be guaranteed the safe political space, including a seat at the “negotiating table,” to participate in all steps of post-conflict reconciliation and recovery processes, stressed high-level United Nations officials today at a Headquarters event. Chair of the UN Peacebuilding Commission (PBC), Antonio de Aguiar Patriota, of Brazil, said that today’s meeting, co-organized by the Commission and UN Women, was an opportunity to leave the “bird’s eye” view and dive into the concrete reality of women’s peacebuilding work. He recalled visiting countries emerging from conflict such as Guinea...

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02Sep2014

Why invest in women?

  Aid programs that provide women opportunities to better their health, education, and well-being have effects far beyond a single individual.   A woman multiplies the impact of an investment made in her future by extending benefits to the world around her, creating a better life for her family and building a strong community

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29Aug2014

Project: Support to the Women Police Officers Network in South East Europe (WPON)

Thousands Are Sexually Assaulted In The U.S. Military Every Year. These Are Some Of Their Stories.

In 2009, Jessica Hinves, then an Air Force fighter jet mechanic, said she was raped by a member of her squadron -- a man she had considered a good friend. Hinves' rapist never stood trial. Her case was thrown out of court by a commander who told her that though the man who had raped her didn't "act like a gentleman," he needn't be punished for it. Later, Hinves was reportedly discharged from the military “against her will” for post-traumatic stress disorder. Last year, she told PBS that she felt incredibly "betrayed" by her unit, by her friend, by the legal system, and the military at large for failing to mete out justice and tossing...

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26Aug2014

Members of the Centre Are to Join Workshop/Seminar Program on Human Security in Kavala

Workshop/Seminar Program on Human Security that takes place in Kavala, Greece, from August 26 to 28 is designed as a cross-learning program to expand and enrich participants’ perspectives and understanding of human security, with a view to bolster their respective competences to integrate the approach of “humanizing” security into efforts for improving various dimensions of the human condition and for protecting our commons: our individual & collective rights and freedoms, dignity, safety & well-being. Members of our Centre Svetlana Djurdjevic Lukic and Marina Tadic will join the participants in the program that constitutes one of the...

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26Aug2014

8 Things Women Couldn't Do On The First Women's Equality Day In 1971 - And 6 They Still Can't

Remembering the women who fought for equality: American women and their right to vote - In 1971, Congress declared August 26th as the day in 1920 on which the 19th amendment, which gave American women the right to vote, was certified as law -- Women's Equality Day. Every year since, we've had a designated 24 hours to reflect on how far we've come since women couldn't even cast a vote for President in this country, and how far the country still has to go, when it comes to gender equality. 8 Things Women Couldn't Do In 1971... 1. Get credit cards in their own names. The Equal Credit Opportunity Act of 1974 gave women that right. The law...

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25Aug2014

Take action to Orange your day

The UN Secretary-General’s UNiTE to End Violence against Women campaign, managed by UN Women, has proclaimed every 25th of the month as “Orange Day” – a day to take action to raise awareness and prevent violence against women and girls. Initiated and led by the UNiTE campaign Global Youth Network, Orange Day calls upon activists, governments and UN partners to mobilize people and highlight issues relevant to preventing and ending violence against women and girls, not only once a year, on 25 November (International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women), but every month. IMAGE: UNWOMEN

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25Aug2014

Project: Prevention, Protection and Integration of the Human Trafficking Victims in Serbia

Where There Is Displacement and Terror

This month saw yet another shameful trafficking crime hitting the headlines in Britain. On Saturday 16 August, 35 people from Afghanistan were discovered in a shipping container unloaded from a ferry at the port of Tilbury. Thirteen children aged as young as one were among the group. Unfortunately there was one fatality in the container, with the rest of the victims transported to hospital for medical checks. This is just the latest in a continuing battle against not only one of biggest crimes against humanity, but also the third largest international crime industry, reportedly generating $32billion profit every year. Last week 20 Romanian nationals were also rescued from forced...

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22Aug2014

Wildlife Depletion May Be Driving Child Labor and Crime

What do overfishing, wildlife trafficking, and endangered species all have in common? According to a paper recently published in the journal Science, these environmental challenges may all have cascading social consequences when it comes to forced labor, organized crime, and even piracy.Children and teenagers who work on small fishing boats in Cambodia stay out at sea for 10-11 hours at a time, mostly at night. As labor demands increase, fishing boats are turning in increasing numbers to employing children and migrant workers without pay.   The paper, published by a group of University of California, Berkeley researchers, examines the connection between resource depletion and...

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20Aug2014

Two Centre's Papers Added to DCAF's Library

The International Security Sector Advisory Team (ISSAT) of the Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces recently added two Centre's papers Mapping Non-Discrimination Discourse in Military Education in the Republic of Serbia and LGBT People and Security Sector Reform in the Republic of Serbia into their library.   It is one of the most prominent resource librares for the security sector. You can find additional data about the Mapping Non-Discrimination Discourse in Military Education in the Republic of Serbia project here and about the LGBT People and Security Sector Reform in the Republic of Serbia, here....

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19Aug2014

Gender pay gap: female bosses earn 35% less than male colleagues

Four decades after the Equal Pay Act, male company directors take home £21,000 a year more than female counterparts: Female bosses earn less than their male counterparts – 44 years after pay discrimination was outlawed. Female bosses are still earning only three-quarters as much as their male colleagues, meaning they would have to work until they were nearly 80 to catch up with men's lifetime earnings, according to new figures. More than 40 years after the Equal Pay Act outlawed less favourable pay and conditions in the workplace, the data shows that discrepancies in salaries widen at the higher echelons of management, with a "midlife pay crisis"...

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18Aug2014

Among the Poor, Women Feel Inequality More Deeply

The attention paid to income and wealth inequality spurred by the French economist Thomas Piketty’s best-selling opus, “Capital in the Twenty-First Century,” comes with a caveat from some of its fans: What about women? The question may seem odd given that when it comes to wages, women have made far more progress than men over the past three decades. Since the 1980s, men without a college education have seen their real wages — after taking inflation into account — decline 5 to 25 percent. The lower the education level, the steeper the drop. By contrast, for most women, real wages have been climbing. And while both male and female professionals have...

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18Aug2014

Dads' Housework Inspires Girls' Ambitions

> Fathers who help with the dishes and laundry may play an important role in shaping their daughters' future, suggests a study in the August issue of Psychological Science. Researchers found that fathers who performed an equal share of household chores were more likely to have daughters who aspired to less traditionally feminine occupations, such as astronaut, marine biologist, geologist, police officer and professional hockey or soccer player. Fathers who believed in gender equality and yet left most of the housework to mothers had daughters who favored more traditionally feminine careers, such as nursing, fashion designer, librarian and stay-at-home mom. By pitching...

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15Aug2014

Project: Vulnerable Groups And Security Sector Reform: LGBT Case Study

LGBTI rights – still not there yet

In recent years, the world has seen enormous human rights gains with respect to sexual orientation and gender identity and expression. However, there have also been substantial setbacks - ranging from discriminatory legislation, to impunity for brutal violence against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) people.  Charles Radcliffe, chief of the Global Issues Section at the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), noted: “Supporting LGBT rights work around the world is about recognizing that hostilities toward LGBT people are deeply ingrained in societies and that changing those mindsets and protecting these people is the duty of...

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13Aug2014

Mayor fined €3,000 for saying Hitler ‘didn’t kill enough’ Roma

div> An appeals court has ordered a French mayor to pay €3,000 in fines after he told a local journalist that “Hitler didn’t kill enough” Roma. This one of the news in our PublicPolicySerbiaWeekly. The court in Angers, in western France, convicted Gilles Bourdouleix – a French MP and the mayor of the small city of Cholet, near Nantes – of condoning a crime against humanity with the remark. Bourdouleix caused an uproar last summer when he reportedly told a journalist from the local newspaper, Le Courrier de l’Ouest, that “perhaps Hitler didn’t kill enough” Roma. At the time, Cholet’s city hall was fighting an...

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11Aug2014

Project: Research on family life-satisfaction in Serbia

Games and children, a new direction to ending sexual violence

In Cairo, a pilot project uses games and music to teach children to say no to violence. This initiative is part of the city’s comprehensive Safe City Programme which began in 2011 to prevent and respond to sexual violence in urban spaces, supported by UN Women and local partners. “Nobody has the right to touch our body! No one!,” sing a group of young children animatedly during an innovative training session that uses music and games to help young girls and boys learn to recognize abuse and say no to sexual harassment in their communities. “I learned that I have my personal boundaries and nobody can invade that,” explains a young girl participating...

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06Aug2014

Slovakia: Wall erected to keep Romani residents separate

> An unusual wall has been connecting two residential buildings in the Západ quarter of the industrial city of Košice in eastern Slovakia for the last year and a half. It took 18 concrete slabs and several hours of work to erect the gray fence, which is several dozen meters long, reads one of the articles published in our PublicPolicyWeeklySerbia in which we bring new public policy stories from the region. For more stories, follow this link, or subscribe to our weekly newsletter.    The online edition of the French daily Le Monde reports that the wall was built by the mayor as a good-faith effort to meet the demands of his constituents. Local residents...

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30Jul2014

Socially Accepted Racism: How European Antiziganism Prevails

 

While “Europe” still invokes an image of old money and welfare states in the US, the continent is in fact undergoing its largest humanitarian crisis since World War II. Marginalised and oppressed groups are the greatest victims of unemployment, homelessness, and the neo-Nazi and right-wing populist rhetoric that is spewing hatred across the continent. As they have for centuries, Romani people occupy the spot at the bottom of the ethnic hierarchy, writs the Bluestockings Magazine, featured in the latest edition of the PublicPolicySerbiaWeekly weekly published by the Centre. . With a new wave of European right-wing extremism, exemplified through...

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30Jul2014

Project: Prevention, Protection and Integration of the Human Trafficking Victims in Serbia

With massive support, UNODC spreads its message against human trafficking all over the world

On 30 July, UNODC marked the first World Day against Trafficking in Persons with activities across the globe to raise awareness about this heinous crime. These activities highlighted the plight of victims of human trafficking, aided by a UNODC social media campaign entitled #igivehope. The campaign encouraged people worldwide to express their solidarity with the victims of human trafficking wherever they may be. People were asked to share photos of themselves online making the universally recognized hand heart - a gesture of solidarity representing love, care and friendship. Media organizations, such as USA network, rallied support from its community of TV actors - most...

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25Jul2014

UNDP 2014 HDR: How to Strengthen Resilience 

/p> Entitled Sustaining Human Progress: Reducing Vulnerabilities and Building Resilience, the new UNDP 2014 Human Development Report provides a fresh perspective on vulnerability and proposes ways to strengthen resilience. Persistent vulnerability threatens human development. And unless it is systematically tackled by policies and social norms, progress will be neither equitable nor sustainable. Levels in human development continues to rise – yet the pace has slowed for all regions and progress has been highly uneven. The lower human development groups appear to be improving at a higher rate – grounds for optimism that the gap between higher and lower...

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23Jul2014

PublicPolicyWeeklySerbia: Freedom of movement and

residence of EU citizens - Access to social benefits

Over the past few decades, the focus around issues of free movement has shifted away from workers and towards EU citizenship, whereby worker status is no longer the only route opening access for EU citizens to social benefits in a host Member State. The two EU enlargements in 2004 and 2007, as well as the economic crisis, have led to a sharper discourse against intra-EU immigration amid claims that it burdens national welfare systems. Several national governments increasingly point to ‘abuses’ of the freedom of movement by some EU citizens whose goal of availing themselves of a more generous welfare...

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16Jul2014

PublicPolicyWeeklySerbia: Brussels Insists the Czech Republic

Allocate EU Money Directly for Romani Inclusion

The Czech Republic claims it has convinced the European Commission to back down from most of its 88 exceptions to the country's plans for drawing EU money. However, the Czechs have yet to reach agreement with the Commission on several topics, such as financing the inclusion of Romani people into society and the absence of a Service Act. This is one of the news from the PublicPolicyWeeklySerbia, a Centre's newsletter devoted to publicpolicy issues in Serbia and the region. Read more news here. Deputy Regional Development Minister Daniel Braun delivered the information to journalists on Wednesday. The first EU-funded...

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14Jul2014

Project: Prevention, Protection and Integration of the Human Trafficking Victims in Serbia

OSCE urges law enforcement to follow the money and crack down on human trafficking crimes

Law enforcement agencies need to focus on the financial proceeds of human trafficking in order to more effectively penalize the criminals who organize modern-day slavery networks, concludes a new publication launched by the OSCE today. The paper, which combines research from various publications and seminars from 2008 to the present, argues that financial probes should be a part of investigations into suspected human trafficking from their inception in order to identify and freeze or seize all criminal assets related to the case. “One of the most effective ways to disrupt and dismantle human trafficking networks is to identify and confiscate the money they earn from...

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10Jul2014

Project: Roma in Serbia: How safe they feel and do they see improvements?

France’s unwanted tenants: Fear is part of the Roma's world

> The Roma community in France, targeted by vigilante attacks, harassment and discrimination, faces a summer of evictions from rat-infested squalid camps in city suburbs where they have set up home, writes the Independent. Read more articles chosen by PublicPolicySerbiaWeekly, our weekly edition with news about public policy issues in the region and elsewhere.

“It’s the end of the school year, there’s a big risk,” said Bernard Prieur, standing beside a group of Roma sitting on some old chairs beside a rickety caravan in their shantytown south of Paris. Mr Prieur works for a local charity in Ivry-sur-Seine which helps the Roma in the camp, and on...

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06Jul2014

Project: Roma in Serbia: How safe they feel and do they see improvements?

Serbian Roma Flood Victims Left High and Dry

It was three o’clock in the morning of May 16, yet six-year-old Petar was still awake, wondering if the rain would ever stop falling. Wrapped in a blanket, he watched as the water level steadily rise in his backyard as the Kolubara River began to overflow.  Along with tens of thousands residents of the city of Obrenovac, Peter and his family had to flee their home a few hours later, leaving behind all their world possessions. He now lives in one of the makeshift shelters for flood victims in Krnjaca, a small suburb on the outskirts of the Serbian capital city Belgrade. Thousands were forced to abandon houses and dozens died during the worst Balkan floods in recent...

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26Jun2014

Bicycle a new metaphor of freedom for Afghan women

A member of the Afghan national women's cycling team rides her road bike in Paghman district of Kabul province, June 9, 2014 Trundling down dun-coloured mountain slopes, they ignore hard stares and vulgarities from passing men, revelling in an activity that seemed unthinkable for previous generations of Afghan women –- riding a bicycle. The sight of a woman on a bicycle may not be unusual in most parts of the world, but it is a striking anomaly in Afghanistan where strict Islamic mores deem the sport unbecoming for women. The country's 10-member national women's cycling team is challenging those gender stereotypes, often at great personal risk, training...

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25Jun2014

Project: Vulnerable Groups And Security Sector Reform: LGBT Case Study

Appeals court: States can’t ban gay marriage

A federal appeals court ruled Wednesday that states must allow gay couples to marry, finding the Constitution protects same-sex relationships and putting a remarkable legal winning streak across the country one step closer to the U.S. Supreme Court. The three-judge panel in Denver ruled 2-1 that states cannot deprive people of the fundamental right to marry simply because they want to be wedded to someone of the same sex. The judges added they don’t want to brand as intolerant those who oppose gay marriage, but they said there is no reasonable objection to the practice. The decision by the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel upheld a lower court ruling that struck...

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24Jun2014

Project: Prevention, Protection and Integration of the Human Trafficking Victims in Serbia

The US State department releases its annual Trafficking in Persons Report - Serbia active host for human traffickers, says US State dpt.  

The US State department releases its annual Trafficking in Persons report Friday. Thailand, Malaysia, Columbia, Cyprus and Qatar are downgraded after revelations of appalling maltreatment of workers that amount to modern-day slavery, while Afghanistan and Sudan improved their rating. To see annual Trafficking in Persons Report for Serbia, click here. Trafficking in Persons Report 2014 We each have a responsibility to make this horrific and all-too-common crime a lot less common. And our work with victims is the key that will open the door to real change—not just on behalf of the more than 44,000 survivors who have been identified in the past year, but also for the more than 20...

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18Jun2014

Project: Roma in Serbia: How safe they feel and do they see improvements?

New issue of the Centre's Newsletter feature our research on Roma perceptions of security sector

Centre newsletter PublicPolicySerbiaWeekly carries as a first news, presentation of our study Roma women and men and security sector reform supported by OSCE. If you want to follow our newsletter with news about vulnerable groups and public policy issues subscribe here 

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16Jun2014

Project: Roma in Serbia: How safe they feel and do they see improvements?

 

OSCE supports a research on the perception of the Roma population on the security sector reform  

BELGRADE,16 June 2014 – The study ‘Roma women and men and security sector reform’ that depicts the position of the Roma population in the context of the security sector reform was presented this week in Kragujevac, Belgrade and Nis. The study addresses major security problems of the Roma community in Serbia and contains recommendations for policies and measures the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Defence should undertake to respond to specific security threats of the Roma population in Serbia. The presentations were organised by the OSCE...

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13Jun2014

Project: Roma in Serbia: How safe they feel and do they see improvements?

Centre Has Presented Research on Roma and Security in Nis

The final public presentation of the research findings obtained within the project “Roma Women and Men and Security Sector Reform in the Republic of Serbia” took place at the Media Centre in Nis, on June 13th, 2014. Presentation in Nis provided excellent discussion about the cooperation of organizations in the city itself when it comes to the Roma population inclusion, and the problem of the city leaderships’ negligence of the Roma community (10% of the total population in Nis). Lack of political will for cooperation and inclusion by the city management, and difficult position of Roma in Nis, particularly Roma Women, were stressed. Additionally,...

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11Jun2014

Project: Roma in Serbia: How safe they feel and do they see improvements?

Roma People in Serbia and Their Security - Research Presentation in Belgrade

The second public presentation of the research findings obtained within the project “Roma Women and Men and Security Sector Reform in the Republic of Serbia” has been held in the Media Centre in Belgrade, on June 11th, 2014. Presentation attracted the media, representatives of the Ministry of Interior, the National Council of the Roma Minority, and other institutions, as well as diplomats (US Embassy included), NGOs and experts. Beside the Public Policy Research Centre’s team - Svetlana Djurdjevic Lukic, the Centre's President and Jelena Radoman, lead researcher on the project, Karin Wagner, Governance Adviser at the Democratization Department of the OSCE...

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10Jun2014

Project: Roma in Serbia: How safe they feel and do they see improvements?

Summary Report of the Expert Meeting: Police and Roma and Sinti - Current Challenges and Good Practices in Building Trust and Understanding

Throughout the region of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), Roma and Sinti face a number of human rights challenges in their interactions with law enforcement agencies, including ethnic profiling, the disproportionate or excessive use of force by the police and police failure to respond effectively to Roma and Sinti victims of crime, hate crime and racist violence. Report OSCE

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09Jun2014

Project: Roma in Serbia: How safe they feel and do they see improvements?

Research Findings Presentation in Kragujevac

The Public Policy Research Centre’s team has presented findings of the project “Roma Women and Men and Security Sector Reform in the Republic of Serbia” in Kragujevac, on June 9th, 2014. Kragujevac was one of the 6 cites and municipalities included in the field part of the project, with 4 focus groups (2 female and 2 male) conducted in this city. Therefore, the research presentation was an opportunity for Roma Coordinator for the city of Kragujevac and local Roma NGO “Stablo”, as well as several other representatives of the community (from the Union of Market Traders, for example) to comment on enhanced cooperation with the MoI and the role of the OSCE...

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05Jun2014

Summer School "Humanizing security" starts in Sarajevo, Centre invited

Within Summer School HUMANIZING SECURITY (5-9 June, Sarajevo) organized by CITIZENS NETWORK FOR PEACE, RECONCILIATION AND HUMAN SECURITY (www.cn4hs.org), Svetlana Djurdjevic-Lukic, Public Policy Research Centre president, will be speaking on the case of small arms in the age of insecurity. Svetlana is a Human Security Expert within this regional project funded by the European Commission. The Summer School is also related to Sarajevo Peace Event 2014.

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01Jun2014

Project: Roma in Serbia: How safe they feel and do they see improvements?

"Novi magazin" published short summary of the Centre's analyses 

Weekly magazine "Novi magazine" has just published ( issue no 161) a short summary of the Centre's analyses of the media coverage of the Roma population.  This media anlyses is a part of the project "Roma women and men and security sector reform in Serbia" . The publication with all research data within the project will be presented in mid Jun, in Kragujevac, Nis and Belgrade.  You may find short English version of the analyses published on May 7 on our website here.

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26May2014

Project: Roma in Serbia: How safe they feel and do they see improvements?

European pariament elections: Two Roma MEPs elected

Roma people will occupy a total of two seats in the newly-elected European Parliament (EP). Soraya Post, a Roma activist and human rights fighter from Sweden, led the candidate list of the Feminist Initiative to last week's victory. Post will also continue in her position as Vice-Chair of the European Roma and Travellers Forum as well. The other MEP of Roma nationality is Damian Drăghici of Romania.  The success of Soraya Post is significant given the topics that she might be able to shore up at the EP and win more attention for. According to her campaign statements, the presence of a feminist representative could enhance the effort to enforce certain current issues, such as...

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26May2014

Project: Vulnerable Groups And Security Sector Reform: LGBT Case Study

South Africa appoints first lesbian to cabinet

The South African president, Jacob Zuma, has appointed the country's first openly gay cabinet minister, a move thought also to be a first in Africa and a symbolic step on a continent enduring a homophobic backlash. Lynne Brown becomes the public enterprises minister in a cabinet that includes South Africa's first black minister of finance. Brown, 52, who is coloured (of mixed race ancestry), was born in Cape Town and was premier of Western Cape until the African National Congress (ANC) lost control of the province to the opposition Democratic Alliance in 2009. According to a 2008 profile of her by the South African Press Association, she began her career as a teacher and gained...

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21May2014

World Bank Group Statement on the Flooding in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Serbia

The following is a statement by the World Bank Group Country Director for Southeast Europe Ellen Goldstein from Vienna, Austria: “Our thoughts are with all the people of Bosnia-Herzegovina and Serbia who are living through the worst floods in a century. We know that poor households are hardest hit by natural disasters like this and require the most assistance in recovering and rebuilding. As a long-term partner in the Balkans, the World Bank Group will provide support in any way we can and has started coordinating the recovery efforts with the Governments in Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina, and with the developments partners." World Bank

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19May2014

PayPal account for flood relief opened

The Serbian government stated that starting from 18 May it will be possible to donate humanitarian assistance to victims of floods in Serbia through PayPal service from 193 countries and the region. The account belongs to the diplomatic mission of Serbia in Brussels, from where the funds will be sent directly to the account of the Republic of Serbia intended for the assistance to victims of floods. The payment of humanitarian assistance, through the PayPal service, can be made on the address floodrelief.gov.rs. ombudsman.rs

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16May2014

Project: Vulnerable Groups And Security Sector Reform: LGBT Case Study

IDAHOT 2014, Protect LGBT Free Expression!

In several countries across the world there are laws that seriously restrain the right to freedom of expression of LGBT people.  In many others, it is society that punishes people from expressing their sexual orientation or gender identity through harassment, discrimination, and far too often with violence, including murder. LGBT people are often denied freedom of expression because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Many LGBT people around the world live in poverty due to, amongst other things, family rejection, lack of social safety nets, and the discrimination they face in accessing health services, education and employment. The poverty that LGBT people face also...

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08May2014

New DCAF's guidance notes on gender and security sector oversight

How can a police service ensure that attention to gender is embedded in all its internal systems and processes? How can armed forces monitor their success in providing equal opportunities for men and women, and tackling sexual harassment and abuse? How can ombuds institutions and national human rights institutions proactively investigate gender-related problems in the security sector? – These are some of the questions addressed in new DCAF guidance notes on integrating gender into security sector oversight. Integrating Gender into Internal Police Oversight, Integrating a Gender Perspective into Internal Oversight within Armed Forces, Integrating Gender into Oversight of the...

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04May2014

Project: Roma in Serbia: How safe they feel and do they see improvements?

Video Message from Ms Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day, 3 May 2014

Ladies and Gentlemen, World Press Freedom Day is the day when we raise the flag for freedom of expression, online and offline. This is the day when we stand up for the safety of journalists and combat impunity across the world. It is the day when we make our voices heard so that every woman and man can speak out, so that all may be empowered through access to information. These rights are essential for human dignity -- they are also vital for all other rights, for good governance, democracy and the rule of law, for inclusive and sustainable development. This is why the theme of this World Press Freedom Day is Media Freedom for a Better Future: Shaping the...

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03May2014

Project: Roma in Serbia: How safe they feel and do they see improvements?

Joint Message from Mr Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations and Ms Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO, on the occasion of World Press 

Media Freedom for a Better Future: Shaping the Post-2015 Development Agenda:  This year, the international community has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to prepare a long-term agenda for sustainable development to succeed the Millennium Development Goals when they end in 2015.  Successfully implementing that agenda will require that all populations enjoy the fundamental rights of freedom of opinion and expression. These rights are essential to democracy, transparency, accountability and the rule of law. They are vital for human dignity, social progress and inclusive development. World Press Freedom Day highlights the importance of independent, free and pluralistic media to...

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18Apr2014

Project: Roma in Serbia: How safe they feel and do they see improvements?

Learning How to Share Prosperity: Understanding the Drivers of Poverty in South East Europe

The six countries that comprise the South East Europe (SEE) Region are expected to experience modest growth of 1.8% in 2014. Policymakers in the region are looking to design policies and programs that can better ensure that this growth is inclusive and can benefit all populations in the region – especially the bottom 40%. A new paper by a team at the World Bank identifies key drivers of poverty for the bottom 40% and provides recommendations on how to design more inclusive policies and interventions. As the six countries comprising the South East Europe (SEE) region exit recession, they are now poised to begin building on the nascent economic growth in the region....

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17Apr2014

Project: Prevention, Protection and Integration of the Human Trafficking Victims in Serbia

Prevention, Protection and Integration of the Human Trafficking Victims in Serbia

The Public Policy Research Centre, in cooperation with the government Center for the Human Trafficking Victims Protection, conducts the research on the human trafficking victims in three municipalities in Serbia – Sremska Mitrovica, Pirot, Smederevo  - as their numbers have been increasing in these communities, while the victims have been facing the rejection of local population and severe security risks. This research is a part of the project aiming to propose a model for the quality social care of the human trafficking victims in Serbia. The project further includes the analysis of the legislative framework in Serbia, review of a good practice from the region, EU and other...

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10Apr2014

Project: Roma in Serbia: How safe they feel and do they see improvements?

Sweden in secret talks with Romania on beggars

For months, the Swedish government has held secret negotiations with Romania, in an attempt to help Roma migrants in Sweden, the local press has revealed. However, the negotiations have collapsed, and Sweden is now turning to the EU Commission. "I'm angry, sad and disappointed," Sweden's minister for EU Affairs and Democracy, Birgitta Ohlsson, told Dagens Nyheter. Swedes are witnessing far more beggars on their streets, with 90% of them coming from Romania, according to studies by Stockholm's Social Administration. Though the situation has led to an intense national debate, Sweden is different from other European countries, Ohlsson said. "We have a more...

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10Apr2014

Project: Roma in Serbia: How safe they feel and do they see improvements?

Promoting Roma Inclusion in Eastern Europe: Closing the gap in education, employment, health, and living conditions for Roma populations

The World Bank has been supporting Roma inclusion in Eastern Europe since 2003 through promoting knowledge and data generation; providing capacity building and policy advisory; and mainstreaming Roma inclusion in country operations. Challenge There are approximately 6–12 million Roma in Europe, equivalent to the population of a country the size of Bulgaria or Portugal. Two-thirds of Roma live in Central and Eastern Europe. They have been settled, predominantly rural populations for several centuries, and the majority of them live in poverty. The Roma population is also largely young, growing, and excluded from the labor market in countries that are otherwise aging...

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07Apr2014

Project: Roma in Serbia: How safe they feel and do they see improvements?

International Roma Day 2014

The Roma have contributed elements of their rich culture and traditions to European society for centuries. International Roma Day on April 8 is an annual opportunity to celebrate the Roma – Europe’s largest ethnic minority group. It is also a time to reflect on the discrimination and challenges millions of Roma continue to face in their daily lives in areas including education, employment, housing, healthcare and policing. The OSCE works to combat the exclusion and isolation of Roma throughout Europe and also places importance on supporting Roma so they themselves can become agents for change. (Roma student preparing for the upcoming academic year at the school in...

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02Apr2014

Project: Roma in Serbia: How safe they feel and do they see improvements?

 

The Discussion on the Preliminary Findings of the Research on the Roma Population Security in Serbia

The Public Policy Research Centre has presented the preliminary report on the research conducted within the project “Vulnerable Groups and Security Sector Reform: Roma Population and Security Sector in Serbia”. The round table organised in cooperation with the  Democratisation Department of the OSCE Mission to Serbia, on April 2, gathered about 40 participants. Among them were the representatives of the  Ministry of Interior (MoI) i.e police...

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28Mar2014

Inclusive Education 

Getting all children into school, keeping them in the classroom and ensuring that they get a quality education are top priorities for UNICEF in Serbia. Our goal is inclusive education, with no child denied the right to learn. Inclusive education is a legal obligation in Serbia and the landmark 2009 Law on Education requires the full inclusion of children who once languished outside the education system. UNICEF works with the government, municipalities, schools, teachers and parents to make this law on paper a reality in the classroom, backed by the necessary resources, capacity and standards. The challenges There is a long way to go. Most young children from vulnerable...

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24Mar2014

EU and Serbia fight together against discrimination: Davenport

Fight against discrimination is a EU priority and it is good that the government of Serbia now has its own strategy to cope with this,said Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia Michael Davenport, who joined Serbian officials attending the action “I have a hart, I do not hate,” organised to mark beginning of the European week against racism and discrimination. “It is now up to the government but also up to the citizens to show that they do not want hate speech in Serbia,”Davenport said. “It is very important that we all say no to hate speech everywhere and in every country, not only here but throughout Europe. I joined today this very good action...

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17Mar2014

Project: Roma in Serbia: How safe they feel and do they see improvements?

EU-Serbia: Election result proof of support for EU orientation

Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy Štefan Füle has made the following remarks on the recent elections in Serbia and their results: “I would like to congratulate Serbia for holding this Sunday early general elections which according to the international electoral observers offered voters a genuine choice and were conducted on a sound legal basis. Election day procedures were conducted in an organised and transparent manner and fundamental freedoms were respected throughout the campaign. The observers also highlighted the need for some further legal reform and emphasised in particular the need for increased media pluralism. I encourage the...

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10Mar2014

Why Women Don't Work in the Western Balkans? Ellen Goldstein's blog on World Bank's website 

Finding and keeping a job, and even participating in the labor market, is harder if you are a woman than if you are a man living in the Western Balkans. This is a conclusion I can draw from my first year as Country Director for the Western Balkans, reminding us that gender inequality persists in many forms while another International Women’s Day passes. Only half of the working age population participates in the labor force in the Western Balkans. This is low by both European and global standards - but participation among women is even worse. This rate was only about 42% in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and a mere 18% in Kosovo in 2012 - the lowest in all of Europe and Central...

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09Mar2014

International Women's Day: A Serbian Perspective

In the former Yugoslavia, where I was born, International Women’s Day used to celebrate respect and appreciation for women in society: mothers, wives, female colleagues – in this order. What is it like in today’s Serbia? The glory of the holiday has faded and new challenges have arisen. Mar. 8: Working Women’s Day or Jobless Women’s Day in Serbia? When I was a schoolgirl, this holiday meant two things to me: activities at school, handing small gifts and flowers to our female teachers, recitals, essay competitions; and a more intimate affair back at home – with my mother at the center. I would give her a small gift and always write...

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08Mar2014

Combating Violence Against Women   

The total prevalence rate in Central Serbia in domestic violence is 54.2%. The most common form of violence is violence against women (VAW) in family. In 75% of cases the perpetrator is current or former intimate partner. However, only slightly more than 10% of women exposed to violence reported it to state institutions (e.g. police or centers for social work). “My husband used to batter me regularly, now it is rarer, because now he’s old and sick. A year ago my younger daughter got married. She didn’t even finish the high school, she was in fourth grade. That night he came back from the town and he started yelling “Your daughter married…”, he...

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05Mar2014

Project: Vulnerable Groups And Security Sector Reform: LGBT Case Study

Regional ToT Course on Integrating Gender Perspective Begins

On 5-13 March 2014, UNDP/SEESAC and the Nordic Center for Gender in Military Operations (NCGM) are organizing the Gender Training of Trainers Course for representatives of Ministries of Defence (MoDs) and members of Armed Forces (AFs) of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. The two-week course prepares instructors and trainers to plan and conduct pre-deployment training and education for troops, units and officers on gender perspectives in military operations. The course content is applicable in both national and international training and education for armed forces and defense organizations and will provide the participants...

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03Mar2014

Project: Vulnerable Groups And Security Sector Reform: LGBT Case Study

Gender And NATO: A Good Start But Challenges Ahead

> Does the appointment of female defence ministers in the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Germany and Italy herald a new era for women in the once exclusively male world of «hard» military power?  The jury is still out. True, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has appointed Mari Skåre as a first-ever Special representative on Women, Peace and Security with a three year mandate which ends in September 2014. Skåre has tried to ensure that, at least at the political level, gender issues are integrated into NATO structures and policies. Ahead of NATO’s summit in September, the focus is on the rights of Afghan women, especially in the post-2014...

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28Feb2014

Project: Roma in Serbia: How safe they feel and do they see improvements?

The report Equal Chances for Better Prospects – Strengthening Roma in Combating Discrimination

The report has been produced under the project entitled Equal Chances for Better Prospects – Strengthening Roma in Combating Discrimination, implemented by the Commissioner for Protection of Equality, in cooperation with the non-governmental organisations Praxis and the Regional Centre for Minorities, and with the financial support of the Embassy of the Netherlands in Serbia. The reason for writing this report is the need to summarise the experience gained during the implementation of educational and information campaign on anti-discrimination mechanisms targeting the Roma community and to point out to the weaknesses in the area of...

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28Feb2014

Project: Roma in Serbia: How safe they feel and do they see improvements?

The Results of the Project “Equal Chances for Better Prospects – Strengthening Roma in Combating Discrimination” Presented

On 28 February 2014, a press conference was held on the occasion of the completion of the project “Equal Chances for Better Prospects – Strengthening Roma in Combating Discrimination” implemented by the Commissioner for Protection of Equality in cooperation with non-governmental organizations Praxis and Regional Centre for Minorities and financed by the Embassy of the Netherlands in Serbia. The results of the project, which was implemented in the period from May 2012 to February 2014, were presented by the Commissioner for Protection of Equality Nevena Petrusic, Praxis’ Deputy Executive Director Jasmina Mikovic and Programme Associate in Regional Centre...

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27Feb2014

Project: Roma in Serbia: How safe they feel and do they see improvements?

OSCE/ODIHR Best Practices for Roma Integration regional report recommends good practices for improving Roma housing

The OSCE/ODIHR Best Practices for Roma Integration (BPRI) project presented examples of good practices in improving the housing situation for Roma in the Western Balkans at a two-day regional roundtable event that ended today in Tirana, Albania. More than 100 representatives of municipal authorities and NGOs from the region were familiarized with good practices on housing legalization, settlement upgrading and social housing for Roma, as well as with recommendations on their implementation contained in the report. “Roma and Egyptians, like all citizens, have the right to access social housing and enjoy decent living conditions,” said Ambassador Florian Raunig,...

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24Feb2014

Swiss OSCE Chairmanship and OSCE Mission to Serbia support regional dialogue of civil society on torture prevention and fight against hate crime

Strengthening the role of civil society organizations (CSOs) in the Western Balkans in preventing torture and in fighting hate speech, especially against Roma, is the focus of a two-day regional workshop starting in Belgrade today. Some 50 representatives from regional CSOs and Ombudspersons’ offices are taking part in the discussion, organized jointly by the 2014 Swiss OSCE Chairmanship, and the Civic Solidarity Platform, including its co-founder the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Serbia, with the support of the OSCE Mission to Serbia. “Strengthening the links with civil society and promoting its active involvement is a priority of the Swiss Chairmanship of the...

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24Feb2014

Project: Roma in Serbia: How safe they feel and do they see improvements?

Five Asylums Granted in Serbia in Six Years                                     

    In 2013, asylum in Serbia was granted in two cases, while 5,066 migrants and asylum-seekers stayed in the country. In six years, of 11,795 of them, five were granted asylum, Ombudsman Saša Janković stated at a conference about the asylum system and migrations in Serbia. He said that the 20 recommendations in the fields of migrations and asylum, which his office had prepared, should be implemented immediately, while the official of the Interior Ministry, Vladimir Božović, said that the recommendations should start to be implemented by the end of February. Božović announced that a new law on asylum-seekers will be brought by June. Speaking at a news conference about...

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21Feb2014

Recommendations of the Study on the Position of Women in the Armed Forces in the WB to be Implemented in Montenegro

Following the presentations in Skopje and Sarajevo, the study on the Position of Women in the Armed Forces in the Western Balkans was presented in Podgorica on 21 February 2014 during the 27th session of the Gender Equality Committee of the Parliament of Montenegro. For the occasion, the Committee invited relevant national and international stakeholders including members of the Security and Defence Committee of the Parliament, representatives of the Ministry of Defence (MoD), members of the Armed Forces (AF), Gender Focal Points in the Government of Montenegro, as well as representatives of nongovernmental organizations and international organizations. In addition to...

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18Feb2014

Project: Roma in Serbia: How safe they feel and do they see improvements?

Roma Narratives

Since 2006, UNDP has been supporting establishment of positions of Roma coordinators in Serbian municipalities. This resulted in creation of a network of 47 municipal Roma coordinators at local level, hired as full time staff in local self-governments, working on temporary contracts or as volunteers. Roma Coordinators bridge the communication between local authorities and Roma communities and are part of the local administration structure. Majority of municipalities where Roma Coordinators are working, have prepared local action plans for Roma inclusion and most of them are now facing different challenges in the implementation phase. »Supporting and developing capacities...

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17Feb2014

Project: Support to the Women Police Officers Network in South East Europe (WPON)

The Study on the Position of Women in the Armed Forces in the Western Balkans Presented in Sarajevo

Following its initial launch in Skoplje, the study on the Position of Women in the Armed Forces in the Western Balkans continues to receive great attention. The second in a series of region – wide presentations of the study was organized by the Ministry of Defence of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with the support of UNDP/SEESAC, on 17 February 2014 in Sarajevo. The study is a joint endeavor of the Ministries of Defence of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, conducted with the support of UNDP/SEESAC, and as such represents a truly unique example of regional cooperation.  It provides regionally comparable data on the...

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13Feb2014

Participation in elections key to securing citizens’ rights, says Head of OSCE Mission to Serbia

Participation of all citizens of Serbia in the electoral process is key to securing citizens’ rights, said Ambassador Peter Burkhard, Head of the OSCE Mission to Serbia, in the run-up to the 16 March early parliamentary elections in the country. “All citizens of Serbia should fully exercise their right to vote in order to have their voice heard in the national Parliament,” Burkhard said. He specifically urged the ethnic Albanian community from South Serbia to take part in the upcoming elections and to use this opportunity to participate in charting the entire region’s future along its European path. “Fielding candidates and voting is a right and a duty of...

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12Feb2014

Project: Vulnerable Groups And Security Sector Reform: LGBT Case Study

Gay Hating: It’s Not Just a Russian Thing

A couple of recent reports remind us that it’s dangerous to be gay in a wide swath of the post-communist world. by Sarah Fluck, 11 February, 2014. With the Olympics under way, much of the world's attention has been focused on Russia and its hostile climate for gay people. Even Google made its own restrained statement, draping its iconic logo in the colors of the rainbow flag. But recent reports from Human Rights Watch suggest that we can’t afford to avert our gaze from other places in the post-communist world. On the afternoon of 1 February in Sarajevo, a group of 14 people, caught on security camera, stormed into the auditorium of a cinema...

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04Feb2014

EU allocates $431 to UNICEF to help 15 countries tackle key causes of child deaths

UNITED NATIONS –  The European Union has allocated 320 million euros ($431 million) to the U.N. children's agency to help 15 vulnerable countries tackle infectious diseases and the lack of food, which are key causes of child deaths. EU Development Commissioner Andris Piebalgs announced the new funding Tuesday, standing beside UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake who praised the way "the EU has put children at the heart of its development agenda." While child mortality rates have declined from an estimated 12.6 million in 1990 to approximately 6.6 million in 2012, UNICEF said around 18,000 children still die of preventable diseases every day. The EU...

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22Jan2014

Project: Roma in Serbia: How safe they feel and do they see improvements?

Balkans: More Effort Needed to End Abuses - Reinforced Human Rights Protection Required

Governments in the Western Balkans did little during 2013 to address longstanding human rights problems, Human Rights Watch said yesterday in Berlin, in its World Report 2014. Human Rights Watch documented human rights concerns in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), Serbia, and Kosovo during 2013. Concerns in Croatia are included in a chapter on the European Union. Human Rights Watch found only limited progress in The Western Balkans during 2013 in ensuring accountability for war crimes and countering discrimination and abuses against the Roma minority, as well as harassment and violence against journalists and LGBT communities. Durable solutions for refugees and internally displaced...

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21Jan2014

Project: Evaluation of Efficiency of the Local Mechanisms of Social Inclusion of Roma

Photo exhibition: The life of Roma in Serbia

300 entries and 80 contestants resulted in 12 winners. On 21th of January the winning pictures of Civil Rights Defenders photo contest “Under the same roof” will be exhibited in Belgrade. An exhibition that depicts the everyday life of the Roma population in Serbia. During a month in late 2013 Civil Rights Defenders participated in arranging a photo contest in Serbia. People interested with photography were encouraged to document and depict the everyday life of Roma in Serbia. Exhibition will be opened at Cultural Centre 'Parobrod' ('Steamboat') at 4pm. The response from the public was overwhelming. “The response...

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14Jan2014

Project: Roma in Serbia: How safe they feel and do they see improvements?

OSCE Mission to Serbia Head calls for rights to be respected in criminal investigations

While welcoming the efforts of Serbian authorities to complete the investigation in the case of murdered journalist Slavko Ćuruvija and to bring the perpetrators to justice, the Head of the OSCE Mission to Serbia, Ambassador Peter Burkhard, urged respect for constitutional provisions and professional and ethical standards related to informing the public about police investigations and court proceedings. “The identity of potential suspects and information related to their expected arrests should not be revealed, nor should the media be used as a tool in criminal proceedings,” Burkhard added. “This practice, increasingly present in Serbian public discourse, can...

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11Dec2013

Journalist Zsuzsanna Szerencsés received the OSCE Mission to Serbia’s 2013 Person of the Year Award

Mrs. Szerencsés received OSCE Award for her promotion of freedom of expression and democratic dialogue, at a ceremony taking place in Belgrade.This is the eight year of the award, which celebrates citizens of Serbia who contribute to the furthering of OSCE values in the country. “Szerencsés embodies the values we want to highlight with this year’s award: democratic dialogue, freedom of expression and respect for national minorities’ rights,” said the Head of the OSCE Mission to Serbia, Ambassador Peter Burkhard. “Her dedication and tireless journalistic work, both in Serbian and Hungarian, represents such values.” A...

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05Dec2013

Project: Roma in Serbia: How safe they feel and do they see improvements?

Praxis Published the Report Contribution to Social Inclusion and Combat  against Discrimination of Marginalised Population in Serbia

Praxis published the report Contribution to Social Inclusion and Combat  against Discrimination of Marginalised Population in Serbia within the project  Praxis implemented in partnership with the organisations Roma Educational  Centre from Subotica and Osvit from Nis in the period December 2010 -  November 2013 and with financial support by the Royal Norwegian Ministry of  Foreign Affairs. The report presents the results achieved and progress made, but also the  remaining problems regarding the exercise of the right to be recognised as a  person before the law, right to social welfare and health care, education, work  and employment and...

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29Nov2013

Project: Roma in Serbia: How safe they feel and do they see improvements?

Press Conference “Social Inclusion: Progress and Challenges”

On the occasion of the completion of three-year project “Contribution to Social  Inclusion and Combat against Discrimination of Marginalised Population in  Serbia”, funded by the Royal Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Praxis  held a press conference “Social Inclusion: Progress and Challenges” in the  Media Centre in Belgrade. The report on improvements in the field of exercise  of status and socio-economic rights was presented at the conference. Praxis implemented the project in partnership with the Roma Educational  Centre from Subotica and Roma Women’s Association Osvit from Nis. The  undertaken activities...

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28Nov2013

Project: Evaluation of Efficiency of the Local Mechanisms of Social Inclusion of Roma

OSCE contributes to strengthening lawmaking process in Serbia

A roadmap for streamlining and improving the lawmaking process in Serbia was the focus of discussions in Belgrade on 27 and 28 November 2013, organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), the Serbian National Assembly and the OSCE Mission to Serbia. Alice Thomas, Chief of ODIHR’s Legislative Support Unit, addressed a workshop for preparing a roadmap to streamline and improve the lawmaking process in Serbia in Belgrade, on November 28th 2013. During the workshop, representatives from the National Assembly, government, civil society and international organizations discussed how to implement recommendations from OSCE/ODIHR’s 2012...

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19Nov2013

Project: Mapping (Non)Discrimination Discourse in Military Education

Is There Sexual Orientation Discrimination in the VS?

Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) NGO activist Angelina Zezelj has accused the Serbian Army (VS) where she worked as a military police officer claiming her contract hasn't been extended because of her sexual orientation. The VS denies these accusations, claiming that there is no discrimination in the Army“, Danas reports on Wednesday. „Zezelj said that she had worked as military police officer since 2011 but that she failed a psychological test, resulting in the expiry of her contract. „When they told me my contract will not be extended, they explained that I fell at the extraordinary psychological test and dropped from first category to fourth. You know, it is...

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18Nov2013

Project: Roma in Serbia: How safe they feel and do they see improvements?

Photo competition challenges prejudices about Roma

Civil Rights Defenders is organising a photo competition concerning life conditions of the Roma population in Serbia. A jury of prominent human rights activists and artists will choose the best 12 photos which will be printed in a calendar and exhibited in Nis and Belgrade. ”It is important to show that Roma people live their lives the same as everyone else, that they face the same problems and challenges as everyone else. Still, the fact remains that discrimination is a significant cause of their problems, making it harder for them to gain access to education, healthcare and jobs. This is a systematic problem caused by lack of information about our Roma countrymen and...

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09Nov2013

Project: Roma in Serbia: How safe they feel and do they see improvements?

It’s a Disgrace!

It’s a disgrace that, on the International Day against Fascism and Anti - Semitism, citizens for days live in fear of fascist shouting that can be heard at  the protests in Zemun Polje, in the part of the territory of the City of Belgrade. Civil society organizations request that the state bodies, especially the City  and Municipal authorities, urgently respond to racist incidents because, otherwise, they will be held responsible for the violence that has been  escalating lately in the settlement Kamendin in Zemun Polje, Municipality of  Zemun. We expect all the competent bodies to: Condemn the incidents and initiate the procedures...

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04Nov2013

Project: Vulnerable Groups And Security Sector Reform: LGBT Case Study

Conference on Public Policies and Improving Life Quality of LGBT Population

Civil society organization's conference titled ''Supporting development of public policies in the field of rights protection and improvement of life quality of LGBT citizens'' will be held on Monday, 4th of November, in Belgrade. Main topics at the Conference will be access to justice and rule of law, security, violence prevention and fight against violence, prohibition of discrimination, education and socio-economic stability, and LGBT vulture and identity. Among the participants and speakers at the Conference will be representatives of the Forum for Ethnic Relations, Labris – organization for lesbian human rights, Institute of Social Sciences, Belgrade...

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19Oct2013

Project: Evaluation of Efficiency of the Local Mechanisms of Social Inclusion of Roma

Centre’s representative at the Third Meeting of the Local Government’s Working Group for Roma integration in Skoplje

The President of the Centre’s Assembly Svetlana Djurdjevic Lukic will participate in the Third Meeting of the Local Government’s Working Group for Roma integration, which will be held from 22nd to 24th of October, in Skoplje, within the ODIHR/ Best Practices in Roma Integration (BPRI) in the Western Balkans project and sponsored by the OSCE. Djurdjevic Lukic will speak on the aim of the Study on the gap between policies and practice, which was supported by the BPRI project, and in which she participated as research advisor. The Centre’s research team is very well experienced in investigating different Roma population related issues. New Centre’s research aims to...

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18Oct2013

The National Action Plan on the UNSC Resolution 1325 – three years after

Since the adoption of the UNSCR Resolution 1325 in 2000, only 39 UN members have adopted national action plans for its implementation. As the conclusions of the Conference "Independent monitoring and reporting on the implementation of the NAP on UNSCR 1325 - Women, Peace and Security in Serbia" show, albeit Serbia was the second in the region, after Bosnia and Herzegovina, to adopt the national action plan (NAP), main goals of the NAP have not yet been accomplished. The Conference was held on October 10th in the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, and was organized by the Belgrade Centre for Security Policy and the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the...

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06Oct2013

Project: Research on family life-satisfaction in Serbia

New Centre’s Research on Family Life-Satisfaction in Serbia

Public Policy Research Centre conducts research on life-satisfaction related to family life in Serbia and happiness of family members in families with children. By exploring concept of happiness we will demonstrate links between demographic, age, social and other features of families in Serbia with the feeling of life satisfaction of family members and development of children. The research consist of two methodological components: quantitative documenting on life-satisfaction and happiness of family members and qualitative research on selected sample with in-depth interviews and focus groups. Report with research findings will be presented in December 2013. The project aims to offer...

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10Sep2013

Project: Mapping (Non)Discrimination Discourse in Military Education

(Non)Discrimination Related Issues Slowly Enter the Military Eduaction System, Shows Centre’s Research

Non-discrimination of the vulnerable groups (women, ethnic and religious minorities, LGBT population) and the attitude towards them are practically absent in the teaching process in the Military Academy and Military High School show the results of the most recent research project of the Public Policy Research Centre. The research represents the first and so far unique analysis done by a non-governmental organization regarding the (non)discriminatory contents in military schooling in Serbia. Furthermore, the Centre’s research indicates that teaching materials used in these institutions were not modernized, while some of the textbooks are outdated, and in some cases they apparently...

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